Peace No More
by Sassiersphinx81
Summary: Set five years after my first story, Reunions, everything is peaceful until Azula shows back up with some bad news and sends a few people into a rebellion that they have to stop to save everyone. Please read and reveiw! Zutara, Taang, Sukka, and OC pairin
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, here is the first chapter of my newest story, Peace No More. There has been an uprising in the Fire Nation after ten years of peace. The Gaang is back along with Jelisa and Arawn. Same pairings as before. A few even have kids! Hope you enjoy it. **

Winds swept the barren plains as Toph, Azula and Jelisa watched the small army Advance on their position. They knew this was bound to happen. It had taken ten years for the rebels to get their forces high enough to march onto the battle field.

"You know, this could be bad. I only could get a small battalion of troops from the Earth Kingdom." Toph felt the vibrations of the advancing army. "So, who did you bring, Ice Queen?"

Jelisa's eyes never left the horizon. "I have a few assassins on the inside, but none of them were able to get to the leader. They killed off a few, but they could not kill many or it would raise a few red flags that they were there." In the resent years, Jelisa was made the head of the assassins guild. It helped because she had stopped all the hits on Aang and Zuko. "I also have a few hidden within your men."

"Don't complain. I could only get a few bounty hunters. A lot of them still dislike the Fire Nation and is not willing to help. I did get Jun though." Azula pushed her bangs out of her eyes. She took to wearing her hair down these days.

The trio looked at each other and smiled. "Well, have you two picked out who you are going to haunt if we get our asses smashed or fried?" Toph grinned.

"Arawn, if he lives, or everyone in the Northern Water Tribe." Jelisa smiled.

"Zuzu, or my father. I know they will both live through this." Azula shook her head. "I would love just to mess with them every day and get away with it."

"I am going to haunt the Earth King for not listening to me in the first place." Toph laughed. "And when I get bored with him, I might move on to your brother, Azula."

The Princess snorted. "Whatever. So are we going to sit here all day and wait for them to come us, or are we going to take this battle to them?"

Jelisa looked over at Toph. The Earthbender was grinning like a Cheshire cat. "Let's get this over with."

The three female warriors charged ahead into the enemy, with their troops right behind them.

_Six Months Ago_

Toph lounged in the sunshine at the Fire Nation palace. She liked coming to visit Sparky and Sweetness. Their two kids were great. Having one of her own, she looked forward to letting Marcus play with the prince and princess.

"Hey you three, stay out of the pond." She yelled in the general direction

"Ah Mom, Malaya was going to just show me a new Waterbending move Aunt Katara showed her." Marcus looked over at his mother.

"Nope, sorry kiddos. You know what your parents said before they left for that meeting. No playing in the pond, no Waterbending and no Firebending. The same for you Marcus, no air bending. I will put you all in the box for awhile if you don't listen. " Toph smiled at them.

"You know, you shouldn't threaten then like that, Toph, you might scar them for life." A familiar voice reached her ears, but she did not here any footsteps.

"Ice Queen, get out of the tree and on solid ground where I can see you. I am going to kill your husband for teaching you the tricks of an airbender. That gets annoying when you guys sneak up on me." Toph sat up and 'looked' in the general direction of the tree.

"Fine." Jelisa jumped down out of the tree and landed on her feet. "Better?"

"Much." Toph grinned. "Hey shorties, Aunt Ice Queen's here."

The three children turned their heads and smiled at Jelisa. "Auntie Jelisa!" They ran up to greet the other Waterbender.

"Hey guys, what's going on? Are you having fun today?" Jelisa smiled at the children. She had found out a few years ago that she was no able to have children due to the beating she took many years ago. She took her roll as aunt very seriously and spoiled them all rotten.

"Aunt Toph won't let us play in the water, and neither will our mom and dad." Malaya pouted. She crossed her arms over her small chest.

"Well, you really should listen to your parents." Jelisa looked at the children. Toph rolled her eyes because she knew what was going to happen. "But, I don't have to." With that, she pulled a glob of water out of the pond and pushed it toward the kids. Malaya caught it and threw it back toward the other woman.

"Sweetness is going to get on your case about this." Toph smiled though. The children were having fun.

"Ah, she can bite me. I come here just for the shear pleasure of spoiling all of your guys children and making the Fire Lord and Lady mad. It is my right as aunt." Jelisa laughed and took the glob of water and made it snow for the children. "Come on Toph, you wanna spar? Give the kids something to watch?"

The idea was tempting. "I haven't spared you in a long time. What the hell, let's do it!" She stood up and the children cheered.

"We get to see Aunt Toph stomp Aunt Jelisa's bottom!" Five year old Matthias grinned at twin sister.

"Uh uh, Aunt Jelisa is going to get Aunt Toph this time." Malaya looked at her bother.

"My mom is the greatest Earthbender of all times. She is going to take her down." Marcus smiled at his friends.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, boys. See if I make it snow again for you two." Jelisa said smiling.

"Let's do this." Toph began to walk towards the ring where Zuko said they could spar.

--

Zuko listened to the council talk about the outer providences and how they were prospering. There was also talk about a rebellion in the eastern part of the Fire Nation, but it was small and would be taken care of shortly, nothing to worry about. Trying to suppress a yawn, he looked over at his wife. The council was not happy when he told them Katara would be sitting in on the council meetings after they married.

All of them were old school and did not think is was a woman's place to be in on council meetings. Zuko then pointed out that if Aang had not won the war, Azula would have been Fire Lord and then they would have had to listen to her. They silenced them very quickly.

Just then, a servant entered the chambers. "My Lord, the Avatar has arrived." The man bowed low and backed out of the room.

Aang walked in followed by Arawn, another airbender and good friend. Zuko nodded at Aang and looked at the council. "This meeting is over. I have some rather pressing matters to take care of with the Avatar. You are all dismissed."

The six men stood up, bowed and walked out. Zuko stood up, walked over to Aang and gave him a hug. "Hey, where's my wife? She said she would be here."

Zuko released his best friend. "She's outside with the kids." He then turned to Arawn. "So, where's your other half?"

"She went off to harass Toph." The other man shrugged his shoulders and smiled. "That and to spoil your children."

Just then, there was a loud boom and a few curse words echoing through the hall. "Damn it Toph! Watch where you throw those things. What are you trying to do flatten me?"

The foursome laughed and knew then what was going on. "Think we should go watch?" Katara smiled at took her husband's arm.

Zuko smiled down at his wife. "Why not. Besides, they might need healing afterwards. They both get a little too competitive."

Aang rolled his eyes. "You have no idea. It's even worse when there are people watching. She still has not been defeated in Earth Rumble. One day, I might be able to."

Arawn turned an headed for the door. "Jelisa has been itching to try out some new moves on another human that could take them. Toph was the perfect person."

They walked towards the loud voices and booms. Toph and Jelisa were really going at it and from the jumping of the earth, the Earthbender was not holding back. They took seats next to the children and watched the two females.

Sweat poured off both women as they combated each other with their elements. Jelisa was skating across the area on ice while trying to blast Toph with large amounts of water. Toph on the other hand was playing it safe and waited till Jelisa stopped and started chucking large boulders at her. Ducking, dodging and weaving, Jelisa missed the majority of them, but the last one caught her in the stomach and chest, knocking the wind out of her.

"Do you yield yet, Ice Queen?" Toph smirked and pulled a rock out of the ground, getting her next attack ready.

Jelisa on the other hand, sucked in large amounts of air, trying too breathe again. When she was able to, she got up onto her knees and grinned at the other woman. "Not on your life, Toph."

"You are so stubborn, you know that?" Toph threw her boulder at the Waterbender. Jelisa proceeded to slice it on half with a well placed ice disc.

"Not as stubborn as you, rock head." Jelisa gathered up more water and began to throw ice daggers at her.

Zuko just smiled and looked at the other three sitting next to him. "That looks like fun and I haven't gone up against those two in ages. Wanna join them?"

Katara grinned. "Why not." She yelled down to Toph and Jelisa. "Hey, hold up. We're joining you." She began to take off her outer robe and Zuko did the same. They all four jumped into the sparring grounds and walked towards the two women.

Matthias turned to his sister and friend. "This is going to be soooo cool." He turned his head back around to watch the adults about to spar.

--

Down in the ring, Jelisa and Toph were already a little winded. They stopped and waited for the others to walk over. Jelisa walked over to Arawn and gave him a peck on the lips. "I see you guys finally made it."

"Hey, if I knew you were going to spar as soon as we got here, I would have waited to go see Zuko and Katara." He returned Jelisa's kiss with one of his own.

"Okay, how are we going to do this? We have two waterbenders, one airbender, one firebender and the master of all four elements." Toph put her hand on her hip. "Someone is going to be at a disadvantage."

"I think we should pair off into couples. See which couple is the strongest." Katara took a hold of Zuko's arm.

Aang walked over to his wife's side and put his arm around her shoulder. "I think that is a wonderful idea. What do you think, Toph?"

"Doesn't matter to me, but a few quick rules. One, this one is for you Twinkle Toes, no glowing it up. You may be the master of all the elements, but we all only have one. Pick one and stay with it. Two, You can double team another group, but no weapons. Sparky, Sneaky, I'm talking to you. Third, anything goes. Got it?" Toph counted off the rules on her fingers.

Jelisa smiled. "You have a deal." She turned to her husband, ice blue eyes shining. "Let's do it to it"

The three couple retreated to different corners and waited.

**Yeah, I did open up with them preparing for battle. Everything will lead up to the battle Azula, Jelisa and Toph are charging into here soon. Hopefully you liked the first chapter of Peace No More. I don't think I am going to name the chapters this time. See y'all next chapter. Remember, I like constructive criticism. I am always looking to improve my writing skills. Please let me know what you think. Click on that little box at the left of the screen and let me know.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey everyone! Yes, I am in wonderful and cheery mood. Don't know why. Could be the three cups of coffee I drank or the Kool Aid My daughter help make. Do not, I repeat, do not let a six year old make Kool Aid. It will put you on a sugar high for a week. Anyway, I hoped you liked the first chapter of my new story, hum? My husband had been helping me on the battle scenes. He is a wiz on thing like that, but lacks the creativity to turn that knowledge into a story, so that is where I come in. Just for the records, I just realized that the three children's names begin with M. I really didn't do that on purpose. On with chapter 2!! Yeah!**

The three couples sized each other up as they prepared for the biggest sparring session they had ever gotten into. Two on two on two. Katara and Zuko stood next to each other, a smile on the Fire Lady's face and a smirk on the Fire Lord's. Toph and Aang were grinning like they had a great secret and was not about to tell anyone. Then there was Arawn and Jelisa. With their cool demeanors and lack of expressions, looking at them you would think they were bored.

Toph was the first to make a move. She threw a boulder towards the Fire Lord, but Zuko dove out of the way before it even came close to them. Jelisa went after Zuko next, because he rolled near her. She pulled out twin water whips and started pounding the pavement as he rolled out of the way.

Katara stole a glance at the children before she dodged an attack from Aang. Their eyes were glued to the battle and from the looks of it, loving every moment. She fired off a few ice spikes at the Avatar and pulled some water from the pool that Zuko had put in for her and hurled it at Arawn. Fighting two airbenders was a chore, but she didn't mind at all. They parried and dodged each other, occasionally getting smacked by either water, air or earth. Zuko held back a little, because his shots could really hurt someone, being the only normal firebender in the group.

The children ate up the battle. Malaya, Matthias, and Marcus watched the masters wield their elements and manipulate them well. Malaya sighed and watched her mother and Aunt Jelisa wield the water like it was an extension of them. "One day I will be as good as Mom and Aunt Jelisa."

"I want to be as good as Dad." Matthias watched his father throw fireball after fireball at Arawn.

"I hope I can be just like my dad." Marcus watched his father, the Avatar, go after Katara.

"So, who do you think will win?" Matthias looked at his sister and his best friend.

"Don't know, let's just watch." Marcus turned his eyes back to the battle below. The adults were going after anyone except their own team mates.

--

Aang spied Katara out of the corner of his eye and dodged the whip she launched at him. "Good one Katara, now you just have to be quicker than me." He formed and air scooter and blew past her.

"Like that will ever happen. I am not an airbender." Katara smirked and watched Jelisa jump and smack Aang with a blast of water. "But sometimes I don't have to be. Thanks Jelisa!"

"No problem, now get Toph off my back." She slammed herself into the pavement as a boulder the size of her head pasted over her. "Are you just out to kill me, Toph? That is the second time today you have aimed at my head!"

"Well, it is a big target!" The Blind Bandit smiled and launched another assault at the assassin.

"Oh, now I'm pulling out the big guns!" Jelisa pulled water from the pool and formed a spinning wheel of water around her and walked toward Toph. "Come here little girl."

"LITTLE?! You are so going to pay for that." The earth began to tremble below Jelisa. She threw her water at Toph just as a fissure opened up below her and swallowed her, but not before she froze Toph in a block of ice. "Looks like it's a stalemate between us then."

"Looks that way." Jelisa frowned at the Earthbender. "I would call you something, but there children watching."

"Hey Arawn, looks like we lost our partners. Wanna team up and get Zuko and Katara?" Aang looked at the other airbender.

Arawn glanced at his wife with her head sticking out of the floor and Toph that was frozen in ice. "Sure, but can we leave our wives like they are when we are done?"

"I heard that!" Jelisa's voice rang out through the ring.

"You are so dead when she gets out of that." Aang went after Katara, which left Zuko to Arawn.

The two men sized each other up. "Come on, Arawn, you know you are faster than me." Zuko punched a fire blast toward the ninja.

"What? Is the job of Fire Lord making you slow?" Arawn grinned at Zuko.

"No, but I think you have had more practice at dodging things than I have. I don't live with Jelisa." Zuko dived out of the way of the air slice.

Arawn stopped, thought about it for a moment and nodded. "You are right on that one."

They began to battle again. They matched each other blast for blast, neither one backing down.

One the opposite side, Aang and Katara were engaged in their own spar. "You know, this brings back so many memories." Katara formed an octopus around her and began her assault on the Avatar.

"And it would be easier if I could use another element against you." He blew backwards as one of her tentacles nearly got him.

"Are you afraid I might win? I usually won anyway, unless you have been practicing." She smiled and went after him again.

Fighting back, he started blowing hurricane like winds at her, knocking her off her feet. She tumbled backwards and fell off the side of the ring. "You done Katara?"

She held up her hand and smiled. "I'll be sitting with Toph and Jelisa."

--

Jelisa looked at Katara as she sat down. "Hey Toph, if Katara unfreezes you, will you get me out of the damn ground?"

"Sure, I want to see this fight between the guys." Toph smiled.

Katara waved her hand and the ice melted and then Jelisa was launched out of the ground. "Thanks."

The three women walked over to the sitting area and watched Aang, Arawn, and Zuko battle it out. Air and fire was going everywhere. Arawn and Aang teamed up on Zuko. One would blast him, while the other one distract him.

"You know, those three could do that all day." Katara looked at her husband and smiled.

"I know, but let them tire themselves out and we won't have to deal with them later." Toph leaned against the rail that was front of her.

The three children walked over to them. "Mom, that was so cool how you sucked Aunt Jelisa into the ground and left her there!" Marcus beamed at his mother.

"Mom, you were awesome. You have to teach me the water whip next, please?" Malaya pleaded with her mother.

"Maybe when you master getting the water to stay in an orb first." Katara leaned down and kissed her daughter on he top of the head.

"Aunt Jelisa, that was amazing how you dodged Aunt Toph' attack by dropping like that. Then you froze her at the same time she trapped you." Matthias grinned at his 'aunt'.

Jelisa ruffled his black hair. "Many years of practice dodging her rocks." She smiled at him and turned back to the guys. "How long do you think they will keep that up? I know they could go all day, but when do you think one of them will falter?"

Toph shifted her foot. "I think in a minute. Someone's coming."

Just then, a shirshu jumped the wall and two females slid off. "Well look, Price Pouty is know Fire Lord Pouty." The first woman smiled at Zuko.

The three men stopped what they were doing and looked at the two women that just arrived. "Jun, what are you doing in the Fire Nation?"

The bounty hunter walked up to Zuko. "We all need to talk. Your sister and I found out some rather disturbing news from a guy we just picked up."

The ex princess walked forward. "I told Jelisa six years ago I would not come back, but I am not kidding, this is a matter of life or death."

Zuko nodded his head. He motioned the servant that was standing off to the side to come. "Take the children to their grandmother." The man bowed and motioned the children to follow. As soon as they left, he turned back to Azula and Jun. "Now tell me what is going on."

--

Azula stepped closer to her brother. "A bounty Jun helped me get was wanted for hate crimes against the Earth Kingdom government. He was a Fire Nation man. There is a movement, Zuko, a movement that could mean the end of the Fire Nation and you." She took in a deep breathe and the let it out. "I know we have not seen eye to eye in many years and I have tried to kill you, but I have changed. I have seen the world through the eyes of a commoner. I have seen the destruction I brought onto the land. I have witnessed the lives of people that have nothing. It is not a kind world. I am sorry fir my actions."

Zuko looked her up and down. No longer did she carry herself like she was better than everyone. Her eyes showed her soul and that she was truthful in her words, but he had to be careful. "Toph, is she telling the truth?"

"Your sister was able to fool e once, but there is something different about her. I think she is." Toph 'looked' at Azula with her milky green eyes.

"Alright, you have my attention, Azula. Tell me what I need to know." Zuko crossed his arms.

Katara stepped up to her husband. "Why don't we continue this inside. That way we can all get something to drink and eat. Plus, you can get Iroh. His input on something like this would be helpful."

He smiled and nodded again. "You're right. Alright, let's go."

Azula followed her brother through the palace to the smaller dining room. He asked for drink and lunch brought out for everyone and for someone to find Iroh and have him sent to the dining room.. Jun lounged and took in the sights. "You know, I could get use to this."

"You are welcome to come whenever you like, for as much as you have helped me in the past." Zuko looked at the raven-haired bounty hunter.

They all fell into comfortable silence as the food was delivered and Iroh walked into the room. "You sent for me, nephew?"

"Uncle, we have news you need to hear." Azula looked at her uncle.

Iroh's eyes narrowed as they focused in on his niece. "Azula, what are you doing here? I was told you banished yourself."

She squirmed under him gaze. "I Have news that Zuko needed to here. Please Uncle, hear me out before you decide to banish me."

Iroh nodded and took his seat next to Zuko. "Okay, we are here. Now, Azula, Jun, take it from the beginning. What is going on?"

**That's the end of Chapter Two. Whoo Hoo! Azula is back and brought Jun with her. No, there will be no pairing between the two. I don't do that! Anyway, Like the last time, if you like please review, or you have some constructive criticism, let me know. See ya!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay, I have written two chapters on this story and I have only had one review. This may be the last chapter for a little bit until I get more reviews. I know, that is a bit mean, but come on. The reviews inspire me to write more and faster. Please! (Puppy dog face) Please review my story, I will love you for a lifetime. : ) Oh and thank you Liooness for dealing with me and my spelling mistakes!**

Sokka smiled as he walked up the steps of the Fire Nation palace. Suki and the kids would be along in the next few days, but his sailing companion gave him some company. She bounded up the steps like she was on speed. Ty Lee had pleaded with him to let her come. She was a Kyoshi Warrior now, but her home was the Fire Nation. She had not been home in many years and she wanted see her old friends again.

"I can't believe I am finally back here. I haven't seen Zuko in a few years. Not since he came to Kyoshi with Katara for Makita's birth. That was what, nearly three years ago?" The cheerful acrobat smiled at him and began to flip up the steps.

"Something like that." He laughed at her antics. She in her early twenties, but acted like a child most of time. She became a good friend after they sat down and had a long conversation that there would never be a thing between them. She understood and even went as far as teaching him her chi blocking move and a few flips. He was not as graceful as her or the other Warriors, but he could do it.

She topped her flip and looked back at him. "I wonder if Zuko will let me go see Mai? I know she tried to kill everyone, but she was always a good friend of mine. She stood by my side when we were prison. She was my most loyal friend. I miss her." Her normal perky face was a little downcast.

Sokka walked up to her and put his hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure Zuko will let you. You have proved yourself a loyal friend many times over. Hell, you even took a fire blast for him two years ago."

"You really think so? I hope he does. Thanks for the boost, Sokka!" She hugged him and started up the steps again.

The pair continued up the stairs and approached the guard on duty. He immediately bowed and opened the gate. Sokka thanked him and followed Ty Lee into the palace. One of Zuko's advisers met them. "Lord Zuko and Lady Katara have been expecting you. Follow me and I will take you to them. They all just sat down for some lunch."

His stomach began to growl at the mention of food. It had been awhile since he had Fire Nation quinine. It was one of his favorite food. Just thinking about made him salivate. "Let the way my good man."

The adviser lead them to one of the smaller dining room and opened the door. "My Lord, Master Sokka and Lady Ty Lee have arrived."

"Send them in." The voice of his brother-in-law echoed through the chamber.

Sokka and Ty Lee walked into the room and was greeted by everyone from the Gaang, new and old. Katara stood up and Gave her brother a hug. "You need to visit more often. I miss you.'

He returned the hug and smiled. "You should come to Kyoshi. The kid love it when you splash them."

"Have a seat, Sokka. Ty Lee, it's great to see you again." Zuko walked over to them and hugged Ty Lee, and shook Sokka's hand.

Just then, Ty Lee let out a squeal and launched herself over the table and hugged one of the women sitting there. "Oh Azula, it's so good to see you. I have missed you so."

The Water Tribe Warrior reached up for his sword, but Zuko stopped him. "She is here to tell us some grim news. She is no threat as of right now."

Sokka lowered his hand, but shot the ex-princess a look that would stop anyone. She looked at him and nodded as she hugged Ty Lee back. She took a seat at the table and so did Ty Lee.

"Okay, now that everyone is here. Azula, what is going on?" Katara turned her blue eyes onto the woman.

Azula let out the breath she was holding and made a point to look everyone in the eyes before she began. "A few weeks ago, I received a letter stating there was a large bounty on a man from the Fire Nation. He was an experience firebender and was going around burning down homes and towns. I began to track him, but he was always two steps ahead of me. Much to my aggravation, I contacted Jun. With Nayla, her shirshu, we were able to corner him.

"A small battle erupted and that's when he found out who I was. He bowed and started telling me about a resistance group that was planning on overthrowing you, Zuko. He wanted me to join and lead their army here and become Fire Lord. At first, I was intrigued by his words, but in the end, my mind won out and we took him in. I began to look into it, this resistance group. They have supporters in every nation. They are spread wide and far, and they are dangerous."

Everyone sat back and took the information in. Sokka was the first one to speak. "It's been ten years since the war. Why would they start this now?"

Jun sat up and looked at the warrior. "They have been biding their time, getting as much support as they can. Have you ever heard the phrase, 'Revenge is a dish best served cold' ? It means, they have been waiting for the right time to strike. If they have to wait another ten years they will. They will lay low until they feel they can win."

"Zuko, I could try and infiltrate this group. I am a trained assassin after all." Jelisa looked at the Fire Lord.

"No." Zuko stared at the Waterbender. "If something happened, I would never be able to forgive myself for letting a friend die."

"We have to do something. We have to know when they are going to strike." Toph sat up in her seat. "If Jelisa wants to do it, let her. Either her or Arawn are the best candidates for getting into their ranks."

"Hey, how did I get volunteered?" Arawn turned his attention on the younger woman.

A small squabble broke out between the group. Sokka watched everyone, just biding his time to put in his say. He didn't have to wait long. Jelisa slammed her fists down on the table. "All of you numb skulls listen up. Someone has to go for intelligence reasons. There is only four people that would be able to get into their ranks without raising suspicions. That would be myself, Arawn, Azula, and Jun. I will not stand by and wait for them to come. Honestly, I am the most expendable, and the most qualified."

Zuko tried to open his mouth again. "Shut it Zuko, I'm not done." She glared at him, and he glared back, but shut his mouth. "I do not have a family like the rest of you. Hell, I can not even start a family. I can thank many people for that. I have been blessed that all of you have accepted me into your lives, and I love you all dearly, but I am going, and that is final!" Her eyes were cold, hard, and she was visibly shaking form her outburst. She was ready to fight anyone that stood in her way.

The room went deathly quiet. They all stared at the assassin. Aang shook his head. "If that is how you feel, Jelisa, then I will not stand in your way. You swore to all of us when the children were born and when you found out you could not have any, that you would lay down your life to keep them safe."

Zuko looked at the Avatar like he sprouted a second head. "You can't be serious?!"

Katara laid her hand on her husbands arm. "No, he's right. If they make it here and we are not prepared, they will try to kill us all. They will not spare the children. They are in line for the throne one day. They are a threat. Jelisa did say she would be their guardian until they came of age. If she can get the information we need to combat them, I say let her go for it."

Sokka stood up and hung his head. "The mission maybe suicide, but I will not stand in her way. I value my limbs and I know she will break them if I got in her way." He shot a goofy grin in the assassin's direction. He was greeted by a smile of her own.

"I'm going as well." Azula stood up. "I have done many wrongs in my life. I have a chance to change a few of them."

Arawn shook his head. "You know, I could be living a peaceful life. I could have settled down with a nice Air Nomad woman, raised a few airbenders, but nope, I decided to marry one of the hottest tempered women of the Water Tribe." He flashed a bright smile at his wife. "And I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm in."

--

The rest of the night consisted of packing, and getting everything ready for their mission tomorrow. Zuko found his sister sitting next to the turtle duck pond. "Hey, I can I talk to you for a minute?"

Azula looked up at her older brother. "You can not convince me to stay out of this, if that is what you are going to try. I want to do this."

He sat next to her. "No, I know better than to try and get an idea out of your mind. I just wanted to say thank you."

She looked at him, shock written all over her face. "You're thanking me? Why?"

"For going with Jelisa and Arawn. You didn't have to, but yet, you stepped up and volunteered for this crazy mission." He smiled at her, and as greeted by a small smile in return.

"I have exiled myself for six years. I have seen many things and I think that is what I needed all along. The same happened to you, didn't it? You saw the world for what it really is. I can not ever get over the destruction I brought when I followed our father so blindly. I brought pain and suffering to many. In the end, my friends turned on me, my family, you, turned on me, and I had nothing left. I guess my hold on reality was smaller than I thought." She looked out at the water.

"You have changed, for the better. When this is over, I want you to come back here, come back home." He laid his hand on her shoulder. "You have earned your place back here in this family."

Unshed tears shone in her eyes as she looked at her brother. "What will Mother think?"

"I think it is a wonderful idea, Azula."

They both whipped around to see their mother, Princess Ursa stroll out into the garden. "Mother?"

Ursa knelt next to her daughter. "I have always loved you, Azula, make no mistakes about that. A family sticks together no matter what. You lost sight of that when your father manipulated you and used you for his own purpose. Now, he is gone and yet, you remain, stronger than you were before. I will always have a place for my little girl." She wrapped her arms around her only daughter.

Tears fell from Azula's eyes as her mother's words sunk in. Zuko reached over and hugged them both. "Welcome back, little sis. Welcome home."

**I actually like how the ending of this chapter came out. I really liked Azula in the show, and she is a character that you can do so much with. I hope everyone liked it as well. Now, you have Azula, Jelisa and Arawn going off on this crazy mission to find out about this resistance movement that wants to wipe out Zuko and his family. This could get interesting! See ya!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Okay, now I know I told you all that I was not posting another chapter until I got some more views, but I am bored out of my mind. Besides, I have a few ideas going through my head. I start my new job today. I am delivering pizzas. I love driving! Back to the story. Here's chapter four.**

Jelisa looked out the window of her room at the full moon. She felt the power coursing through her veins. She loved this time of the month. It was when her bending was at it's peak and she was the most powerful. It was also the only time she could bloodbend right. The nastiest thing she had in her arsenal, and it could only be used on a full moon.

Sighing, she walked over to the bed where Arawn was fast asleep. She envied him at times. He did not feel the pull of the moon and could sleep without a problem. She on the other hand, charged by the power she had, kept her up most nights. It was frustrating and amazing at the same time. She knew one other person in the palace was in the same position she was in, Katara.

Needing to talk to someone, she slipped on her robe and walked out of the room, turning to look at the airbender again. She smiled and closed the door quietly. Walking the corridor, she found herself in front of the royal gardens. The pond inside was calming. Stepping onto the cool grass, her smile got bigger and she walked down to the pond.

Standing next to the water, she felt the power of her Waterbending and began to bend the water. Her forms were not as refined as Katara's, but they both were trained differently. Katara was trained in the Northern Water Tribe, while her, being from the North, was trained by Hue in the Foggy Swamp. She also betrayed his teaching, using them for evil, for killing. Hama also taught her things. She pulled the water around her and it became a dance.

Pushing , pulling, moving, dancing. It was wonderful to just bend and not be judged. Putting the water back into the pond, she looked at her reflection and sighed. Staring back was a woman with hardly a future, and a messed up past. Her eyes held more years than her actual twenty-six. She had been an assassin for over twelve years. With her hands, she had killed hundreds, if not thousands. She still wished for death at times, because of her choices, she could not give her husband the one thing he always wanted, children.

Doing the one thing she had not done in years, she sank to her knees, with her head in her hand, she cried. She cried for the child she had been, the small waterbender that so desperately wanted to protect her tribe in the war. She cried for the woman she use to be, the killer, but she also cried for the woman she had become.

--

Zuko walked out of the study, popping his back and shoulders. Being in there for hours, his back was cramped and his hands ached._ If I have to sign one more stupid document, I am going to really hurt somebody._ Shaking his head, he proceeded to walk the halls. The problem with working like he did, he usually lot all track of time. He knew Katara was going to kill him when he got back to their chambers. She always hated when he stayed away late.

Rounding the corner, he heard the faint sobs of someone coming from the turtle duck pond. Using stealth, he silently crept over to the pond to see who was crying. The woman was knelt beside the water with her head in her hands. Seeing the sandy brown hair, he knew the woman was Jelisa, the other waterbender.

He came out of his hiding place and walked to her. "Jelisa, you okay?"

She turned and faced him. Scrubbing her eyes with the back of her hands, she looked up at him. "Yeah, yeah, just peachy."

Zuko was never good at comforting people. Katara usually laughed at him and told him he was fine and she always smiled at him. Rubbing the back of his neck, he looked at her. "You need someone to talk to? I may not be the best at comforting people, but I do have a good ear."

"Nah, I'll be okay. That was just something I've had to do for awhile. I've always had a problem about holding in my feelings until they busted." She turned back to the pond. "I guess I really am an emotional idiot."

Zuko smiled at the woman. Here sat one of the strongest women he had ever known and she just call herself an emotional idiot. "Don't worry. Katara always tells me that I am one too."

A small chuckle escaped the waterbender's lips. "I guess that' s why we actually get along. We both don't let ourselves feel enough, and for basically for the same reasons. You had your dad who thought emotions were a weakness and I had my family who thought I was not the perfect lady because at one point I was too emotional."

Zuko looked at her. "Just a question for you. Have you ever went back to the Northern Water Tribe, you know, since you left?"

Jelisa shook her head no. "I had no reason to go back. I am an outcast. I was a member of high society there, but I never fit in. I never wanted to be part of that world. Training to be the best waterbender I could be was my only thoughts. My mother, on the other hand thought I should be in stupid dresses all day and try to snag the best husband. When I wouldn't listen, they decided I was becoming way too much trouble and tried to marry me off to a wealthy Earth Kingdom man. I would be for his son."

She looked up at the moon. "His son was a nice guy, and for a time, I guess I felt love for him. He followed the Water Tribe customs and gave a me a betrothal necklace, but our union was never meant to be. When we were invaded by Zhao, Ty was killed in the battle. Being an Earthbender with no real earth was his downfall. I tried to protect him, but I did not know anything besides healing. He died in my arms.'

"And you blame yourself for his death, right?" He put a hand on her shoulder as he sat next to her. "Don't. That was twelve years ago. Let it go."

She swung around and glared at him. "If my people had let me train to fight, I could have saved him. If I was a better healer, I could have saved him, but I am not. He died because I was not strong enough. Now, because I lashed out at my tribe and tried to kill them, I can not even give my husband what he wants. The Northern Water Tribe took my life from me. They took my future from me." Her blue eyes turned wild. "I will never go back there."

"That's your choice." He shrugged. "I just asked if you had ever been back."

She stared at him. "Sorry."

"For what? You looked like you needed to get that out. I know all about pent up rage and self doubt. I'm just glad you didn't destroy half my home like you did those trees when you first joined us." He smiled at her.

He was greeted by a small smile of her own. "The palace walls are not filled with liquid, so they will not freeze and burst. You're lucky."

He laughed. "Alright, you got me there, but my wife can be destructive when she wants to be."

"All waterbenders can. I have done it a few times when I traveled." She looked back at the water. "Thank you for listening to my rant."

"No problem, that's what friends are for. Now, I think we both need to get to bed. You guys are leaving in the morning. Don't need you half asleep on the trip to the Earth Kingdom." He started to stand up.

"Zuko, they are not based in the Earth Kingdom. I sent a letter out after dinner to the assassin's guild. They are based here in the Fire Nation. They are closer than you know." She stood up and looked him dead in the eyes. "I sent out word that I want them watched. I have the best in the business watching their every move."

Now, it was Zuko's turn to be surprised. "How did you get them to do it?"

Turning to head out of the garden. "I have a few secret as well, Mr. Fire Lord. A few years ago, I was approached by the guild. The old leader died and they needed someone to take over. I did it so I could make sure no one could sent assassins after you guys. When I told you I would not let anything happen to you guys, I meant it. All assassinations have to go through me. I have to approve them. When I get one for you or anyone in the gang, it is automatically rejected. See, I take my duty very seriously."

He shook his head at her. "You are always three steps ahead of anyone aren't you?"

She shrugged. "It's a gift." The began to walk out of the gardens.

"When this is over, remind me to thank you." He followed her out into the hallway.

"When this is over, we may never see each other again. Remember, this is a small war. It might come down to a few sacrifices. I will lay down my life so your children will thrive, if that is what it takes." She faced him and he saw the cold resolve in her eyes.

Closing his eyes for a moment. "Are you..?" He opened them back up and she was gone. "Damn assassin."

--

The next morning, Arawn woke up to find his wife sleeping on the couch in their room. She normally ended up there when the moon was full, like it was last night. She looked so peaceful sleeping, and he really didn't want to wake her, but they were leaving in a few hours.

He stood up and walked over to her sleeping form. "Hey sleepy. It's time to get up."

She mumbled a few incoherent words and rolled over. He chuckled and shook her. "Come on J, you have to get up. We leave in a few hours."

She faced him, eyes bloodshot. "You know how to ruin a good dream." She yawned, sat up and looked out the window. "Are you sure you are not a firebender? This rising with the sun shit is getting old."

"Nope airbender all the way, my love." He sat next to her and pulled her close. "You should know that by now."

She snuggled into his side. "Uh huh."

"I love you." He kissed the top of her head. When she didn't do anything, he looked at her face to find out she had fallen back asleep. Shaking his head, he gathered her in his arms and carried her to the bed. "I'll let you sleep a little longer." He pulled the blankets up to her chin. "Sleep well."

He walked out and went to join the others for breakfast.

**Okay, chapter four is finished. It is now 6:30 in the morning and I am about to go back to bed. Hope you liked the chapter. See ya!**


	5. Chapter 5

Ty Lee stared out the window of her bedroom window. Something caught her eye. She looked over to see Azula and Jelisa crossing the garden with bags thrown over their shoulders. _They were leaving, but wasn't the other airbender, Arawn, suppose to go with them?_ She watched them for a moment longer before flipping out the window and landing solidly on her feet.

She snuck up to them. "So leaving already? I thought you weren't doing that until after breakfast?"

The two woman jumped and looked at Ty Lee. "Shush Ty Lee, no one is to know we are leaving. I don't want Arawn to come. I could not live with myself if something happened to him" Jelisa looked at the acrobat with pleading eyes.

Ty Lee just shook her head. "He is going to be mad at you, you know that?"

Jelisa hung her head. "I know, but there is no other way around it."

"So, how are you getting to the Earth Kingdom? A war balloon is too noticeable and if you go by boat, they can question the captain to find out where he dropped you two off at." She looked at Jelisa and Azula. "For being two masterminds, your plans to sneak away unnoticed sucks."

"So what do you propose?" Azula placed her hand on her hip and looked at her once friend.

"Take Appa. The Avatar won't notice he's gone until you two are far enough away. Then when you get where you are going, send him back. He knows how to make it to the palace without anyone at the reins. I have seen the bison do it a few times on Kyoshi Island." She smiled at them.

"Thank you Ty Lee. You are a genius. I would have never thought of taking Appa." Jelisa was smiling at Ty Lee.

"I aim to please." She beamed. "You better hurry if you want to get out of here before they find out." She waved them off.

Just then, Azula walked over to her old friend and gave her a hug. "Thank you." She released her and quickly followed Jelisa to the stables where Appa was enjoying his breakfast.

Ty Lee stared at them and shook her head. Walking towards the dining room, she saw Aang walking out. "Hey, just saw Azula and Jelisa."

Aang smiled. "So, they are leaving. Told you they would."

"I did what you told me to do. They are taking Appa. Gee, I didn't know they would be that predictable. Azula must be slipping if we are able to figure out her plans that easily." She giggled.

The Avatar shook his head and smiled even bigger. "I know, but Jelisa likes to run around half cocked. She is too easily to predict sometimes. She has a fierce loyalty that runs through her and she would rather die than see someone she cares about get hurt or be put into harms way."

She looked at him. "Must be a waterbender trait. I remember Katara being the same way."

"What are you talking about, she still is that way." Zuko joined them. He also knew what they were up to.

Ty Lee and Aang jumped. They both looked at the Fire Lord. "Zuko, why aren't you with everyone else at breakfast?" Aang smiled sheepily at him.

"Oh come off it, Aang. You are not good at keeping secrets. I know those two took off out of here. Jelisa left notes for the children." He looked at the Avatar and the acrobat. "And Ty Lee, I didn't think you would get involved in Aang's schemes." He smiled and placed his hand on her shoulder. "You should have come and got me, I would have helped."

The two looked at Zuko, dumbfounded. "I thought you were against them doing this?"

"Oh I am. Make no mistakes about that, but I can not stop them. Not unless I lock them in the deepest, darkest cell the Fire Nation has, and even then I don't think that will stop them." Zuko shook his head. "I know how my sister is and I think sometimes Jelisa is worse."

"I know that's for sure."

The three jumped even higher than the last time. Arawn dropped down from the ceiling. "Man, you three are too easy to sneak up on."

Ty Lee had enough of people sneaking up on her. "Why do you all slink in the darkness? It's very unnerving. Walk around like other people." She glared at Arawn, then at Zuko.

"Sorry, with me it's out of force of habit. When you are trained in the ways of stealth, and used it everyday for many years, you tend to do it without thinking." Arawn bowed to Ty Lee. "Sorry for startling you, my lady." There was a smile on the airbender's lips.

Ty Lee smiled at Arawn. "Ah, you know I can't be mad at anyone. It will darken my aura, and I like my aura pink."

Arawn smiled back. He turned to the Avatar and the Fire Lord. "So, my wife took off? Why doesn't that surprise me. Oh yeah, that's right, it's Jelisa and her hot head. I swear sometimes I think she should have been a firebender. With that temper, and the way she runs into things without thinking."

"Hey, I don't.." But everyone silenced Zuko with a look. "Okay, fine, I did do that in my past."

Arawn shook his head. "So everyone, what is the plan now? Do we let them go by themselves and risk getting killed or do we follow?"

Aang smiled. "Don't worry. I have a surprise waiting for them in the saddle of Appa. They will not getting anywhere without us knowing."

_--_

_Haru peeked out of his hiding space at the back of Appa's saddle. __Oh Aang you owe me so big for this. You stuck me with these two crazy women for who knows how long._ He watched them interact with each other. They were not friends, but they did have an understanding between each other.

"Okay Azula, where are we heading?" Jelisa looked back at the Firebending prodigy from her spot on the bison's head.

"They have been setting up their recruitment camp near Serpent's Pass near Ba Sing Sei. I don't know if they are still there, but that would be the first place to look." Azula looked down at the map that was in front of her. "You know, you are going to have to think of another name for this mission. You can not go by your real name. You are known far and wide in the assassin and bounty hunter community."

Jelisa grinned evilly. "I know. I am counting on them knowing who I am. That is the only way I will be any use to them. I am a powerful waterbender, but I have trained too many years as an assassin. I am known for killing fast and disappearing. That is what they are looking for."

Haru knew a few things about the waterbender. Jelisa was an assassin, and fiercely loyal to her friends. Azula on the other hand, was a complete mystery. His job was to watch them and try to befriend them. He knew Jelisa a little, and she would kill him if she ever found out he was spying for Aang and the others. _He is still going to owe me for this. Being trapped in this little space for many hours is hell. _

"You are crazier than me, you know that?" Azula glanced back up at Jelisa with a smirk on her face.

"I try, Princess." The waterbender just kept smiling. "I try."

The two women fell into a silent understanding. Haru just watched as Azula, Fire Lord Zuko's sister, looked down at the map and Jelisa sat on the bison's head. His legs were beginning to cramp. _Why, oh why, did I volunteer for this? Oh, that's right. I have my own agenda with this group of rebels._

He thought back on the day that they came to his village. There was about ten of them, trying to stir up trouble and recruit people to their cause. They wanted the destruction of the Fire Lord and the Fire Nation. He had stood his ground against them, since he was kind of friends with Zuko. He was a great leader and did not need these guys stirring up trouble after eight years of peace. He told them to leave, but not before they found some of the older benders that still held a grudge against the firebenders.

He stretched his legs what little he could. He was glad when he felt the bison go down. This would open it up for him to meet them.

--

Azula jumped down off the bison and stretched her weary back. She had traveled every way known to man, except on the back of the fluffy monster. The journey had not been that bad, but she did not like being that high with nothing really around her except the small walls of the bison's saddle.

"Hey, why don't you go hunt down some firewood and I'll get Appa settled for the night. He shouldn't have to sleep with the saddle on." Jelisa moved over to the bison and patted the furry beast affectionately.

"You sure do love that monster, don't you?" Azula cocked her head to the side and watched the other woman smiling at the beast.

Jelisa looked at her. "He is not a monster, he is a great companion. The only guy I can talk to and not get a comment back. It's great." She patted Appa again, earning a rumble from the bison. "You are a great bison."

Azula shook her head at the waterbender. _For a great assassin, she sure had some soft spots_, Azula mused. _Going to great lengths to protect everything she cares about._ _I guess that is what keeps her grounded. She would give up her life for children that were not even hers._

"You really should get going. It will be getting dark soon." The Waterbending assassin pulled some water from the small stream they landed next to, and used it to take the bison's saddle off of him.

Azula turned and headed to the woods. She began to pick up a few sticks and twigs for the kindling. When her arms were full, she turned and headed back to camp. She didn't make but three steps when she ran into someone.

She was knocked off balance, and landed on her rear, her firewood fell out of her hand. "Watch where you are going!"

"Sorry, I was trying to find Appa." A male voice greeted her ears.

She looked up and saw the most gorgeous set of green eyes staring back at her. Of course, she would not let that stop her suspicion. "How do you know Appa?"

The man chuckled and offered Azula a hand up. She took it, not even thinking. "I have known Aang for many years. I heard he was here in the Fire Nation, and I wanted to catch him before he left. I was heading to the capital when I saw the bison fly overhead, followed him to this point."

Azula looked at him. The man wore Earth Kingdom greens and tans. His feet were bare indicating that he was an Earthbender. His brown hair was pulled back into a single ponytail behind his back. He was a very attractive guy. "Sorry, but Aang and the others are still at the palace. My friend and I have Appa on loan for a few days."

"Oh, okay. I know this is going to sound strange, but do you think you can give me a lift?" He smiled at her and began to help her pick up the firewood.

She tilted her head and shrugged. "That's not up to me. You have to talk to Jelisa about that."

"Jelisa's here? She would know who I am. I was at her wedding." He shifted the bundle of wood into his left arm and held out his right hand. "I'm Haru, Princess."

Azula's jaw dropped when he called her that. "How.. Why?"

He laughed. "Come on, you are Princess Azula right? You have a face no one can forget. It's very beautiful."

She felt the heat creep up her cheeks and she looked away. It was not that often that she received compliments. Most guys were terrified of her. They all thought she was going to strike them dead if they gave her a compliment, but she was just like other girls in that department. She did like getting compliments every once in a while. "Thank you."

"You are quite welcome." He grinned. "Lead the way. This wood isn't the lightest."

"Come on, but I am still watching you." She tried to scowl at him, but it didn't work.

"That's fine with me. As long as I can watch you back."

She hook her head, not trusting her voice, and lead the way back to their makeshift camp.

**I'm back! Sorry, between work and waking up my huband for hm to get to work, I have not had any time. I work til midnoght to one in the morning and he has to get up at four. Anywho, I finally did the revisions on this chapter. There were a few spots I didn't understand. Hope you liked it. See ya later!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry it has been so long since I have updated. I am now a delivery driver at Domino's. Hehe, I love my job, but it doesn't leave me much time to update or even write. I have to do this before I get my kids from school. Hope you like. **

It had been two months since they found the resistance camp. Jelisa, Azula, and Haru melted in like they belonged. Jelisa had been given the honor of teaching the new waterbenders they way of the resistance. Each day they grew in numbers. Many people were not happy on the way the war ended. Zuko had many followers, but many in the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe thought Zuko should give back everything the Fire Nation took from them in the war, including lands and people. The Fire Lord released everyone from prison the day he took office, and gave the people in the colonies the choice to remain with the Fire Nation or become part of the nation that they had taken the land from in the beginning. Most choose to stay with the Fire Nation.

Jelisa laid her head back on the pillow and sighed. She was deep undercover. They didn't know she was there to spy on them, or if they had found out, they would have attempted to kill her_. Fat chance of that. They couldn't do it with most of the people here. They are a force, but they are not high up there in the killing traits._

She had talked to Azula and Haru this morning. Haru was working closely with Azula to find out who was really running the show here. Everyone said it was an old general from the Earth Kingdom, but the three of them knew that was not true. There was rumors that a disgruntled, highly powerful, Fire Nation citizen was running the how from the outside. If anyone knew, they were not telling. Jelisa had three of her assassins working on it. They were trained by the best in stealth. They could sneak by Toph with not a breeze and have a knife to her throat before she knew what was going on.

"Jelisa! You have been summoned. The General wants you to report to the meeting room now." A shout came from the other side of the door. Many of the men were afraid of her since she killed two of them for disturbing her. Well, that's what everyone thought. She had merely stunned them to the point they could not move and their heartbeats were very light. No one picked up on it. They wanted to leave, but they couldn't. Once you are in, you didn't leave unless you were dead.

"Coming. Tell they old bastard I will be there in a few!" She yelled before getting off the bed. She changed into her black clothes and walked out of the room.

Azula was standing outside the door. "You look like you are about to kill every idiot in this place." The Fire Nation Princess grinned at her. "Oh wait, that would be almost everyone here wouldn't it be."

Rolling her eyes, she stalked off to the meeting room. Azula fell in step with her. "Haru is really rubbing off on you."

A smile blush crept up on her pale cheeks. "I know."

Jelisa just shook her head and walked along. "Unless you have any new info, my best advice is to leave me alone for the day. I have not been sleeping well and I am taking it out on everyone. This is your only warning."

"Calm down, J. I was summoned as well. I don't know why, but you know it is something big if he is calling for the both of us." Azula's grin came off her face and was replaced by a scowl.

"Or he found out about something else." They did not talk openly about why they were there. Azula's cover story was she wanted to kill her brother and become Fire Lord. Everyone believed her on that one. They had all heard about her temper and her lack of patience with anyone.

Azula shook her head. "Nope, would have heard about it. You are not the only one that had informants in here. They are many of the Dai Li that are in here and are still loyal to me. It doesn't hurt either that Haru is helping me." Azula got a slight dreamy looking her eye when she mentioned the Earthbender. It was enough to make her want to choke the princess.

"You two are going to make me sick." Jelisa made a small noise in her throat that sounded like a gag.

"You know, you could have brought your other half with you, but you didn't. I can't help it that I am getting along so well with someone that I have no intentions on using. It's so strange." Azula grinned a small grin and looked over at the moody waterbender.

Jelisa scowled and looked straight ahead. "It's called love, you half witted fire rat. Haven't you ever cared about someone, other than your family, that made you feel that?"

Azula shook her head sadly. "No, can't say that I have. But how could I be in love with him? We have barely known each other for two months."

"Your heart is the one that falls in love, not your brain, so stop thinking about it. If it is true love, you will know what to do, but it could be just a passing thing." They had arrived at the room. "Now, game faces on."

"No problem there with you. Since we got here, you have been scowling the whole time." Azula dropped the small grin and replaced it with a scowl of her own.

Jelisa didn't answer the other woman. She threw the curtains back and walked in, with Azula one step behind her. She walked into the room, looking like she would rip everyone apart if the news was not worth her time. Since she had left Arawn to do this for Zuko, she had been in a foul mood. No one crossed her.

"Ah, my young assassin and Fire Princess. Thank you for coming. Please have a seat." The General was an older man with a slightly graying beard. He was slim, but had a slight gut to him.

Jelisa glared at him. "I think I'll stand. I am not in the best of moods. You had better say what you want and let me go, of I swear by Tui and La, I will kill you."

Azula laid her hand on her shoulder. "Calm down, J. You are starting to drop the temperature of the room."

The General cleared his throat. "I need you to go somewhere for me. I need you to go to the Northern Water Tribe and convince the chief there to join us."

"No."

"What? Why?" The man looked at her.

"I do not go up there. I have not been there for many years and that is not about to change." Jelisa crossed her arms under her breasts and continued to glare.

The general smiled. "I thought you would say that, so I was prepared. I sent my men to the Fire Nation yesterday morning. Yes, I had you followed for many months to see if I would be able to get you to join. Your skills as an assassin proceed you."

Jelisa's eyes got wide and a small amount of fear crept into her eyes. "What did you do?"

"Bring them in." Five men walked into the room with Malaya, Matthias, Marcus, and dragging a very beaten and bloody Arawn.

Jelisa felt the blood drain from her face. She made a step toward the children and her husband. Azula grabbed her arm and shook her head. A tear fell from her eye as she looked at her husband and the frightened children.

"Now, you will do what I tell you to do, my assassin or I will have them killed. Do you understand me?" He smiled at her. "You will go to the North, or they will die."

Jelisa glared at the man who just threatened her family. "I will go, but they had better be in good health when I return or I will kill you and everyone here."

"Oh, they will not be harmed. They are my gambling chips. You see how well they control you. The Fire Lord and Lady will bow to me to get their children back."

Jelisa smiled at him. "Do you know who the other child is? You are in more trouble for taking him."

"My informants told me that he is a servant's child." The general looked at her. "You know who his parents are. They are not servants are they."

"In a sense they are. They are servants of the world." She shook off the Princess' hand and walked over to the children. The guards looked over at their commander and he nodded. They stepped back a few steps and dropped Arawn. He landed on his face and moan escaped his lips.

Jelisa knelt next to Marcus. "Don't worry, I won't let them hurt you. I will get you out of this." She touched Arawn's head. "Marcus, please show them what you can do."

Marcus nodded slightly and pulled in a lungful of air and blew a guard clear across the room. The general stepped back out of fear. "He is not yours is he? I know your husband over there is an airbender."

"No, he is not mine. I can not have children, but he is an airbender child as you have seen. You, my friend, have taken the child of Lady Toph Bei Fong and the Master of All Elements, Avatar Aang. You are in deep shit when they find out. There will be no place for you to hide."

"The Avatar's son? There is no way." The man was visibly shaken. "How was I so misinformed?"

"Don't know, don't care. That is your problem now, not mine." The waterbender stood. "I will go to the north, but first you will let me heal my husband. I will not go until I know he will live."

He nodded his head. He looked at the guards. "The airbender and the children to Jelisa's room. There will be four guards outside her room at all times." He looked back at her. "I am not without a heart, my dear. You will have two days to heal him, and make sure he lives before you are sent out. Azula will accompany you North."

"No, I want Haru. They people up there know who the Fire Princess is an what she looks like. I would not get through the front gates with her at my side. Haru is just an Earthbender. He will not hinder me getting in." She stared him down.

"Very well. Azula, you shall guard the children and the airbender. I know you are loyal to me."

Azula bowed and walked with the guards and Jelisa back to the waterbenders rooms.

--

Katara stretched her weary shoulders. The meeting was long and tiresome. All the old men wanted to do was argue and bicker with each other. She smiled at the memory of Zuko yelling at all of them and dismissing them for the day.

She walked to the back wing of the palace, where Arawn and Ursa had the children. She missed her children and Toph's son as well. They were the bright spot in her life. Walking down the hall, she got the funny feeling that something was not right. She walked faster and threw open the door. Blood was splattered on the floor and on the bed. The children and Arawn were no where to be found, but Ursa was laying next to the bed on the floor. Blood was pooled around her body, dark crimson against her red robes. Running to the former Fire Lady's side, she pulled the water from the vase next to the bed. Rolling her over she placed the healing glove over the wound in her chest. The flesh knitted back together, along with the muscles.

Ursa opened her eyes, and smiled up at Katara. "I tried to protect them, but there were so many of them. They took the children and Arawn. I tried."

"Shu shu, it's alright. They will be fine. I think I know where they are taking them and they will be in good hands." Katara looked out the window and knew the children would be fine.


	7. Chapter 7

**Here is Chapter Seve. I will warn you now, if theer is any typos, it is because my keyboard is not tying all the letters if you hit them. I really need to get this this looked at again. I have a laptop and it is kind of pricey to get everything fixed on it. Sorry about the tpoes if you run across them. ON with the chapter.**

Haru pulled his coat around him tighter. The blowing snow was whipping around him and sticking to his parka. "Can it get any colder? How could you have lived here?" He looked at Jelisa as she walked onto the open deck. She seemed unfazed by the chill in the air and the snow. If anything she had a slight smile on her face.

"It gets a little colder at night but I do not plan on being here for more than a few hours. I hate this place, and everyone here. I am risking my life to come here." she leaned on the railing and looked down at the blue water.

He walked up to her and laid a hand on her back. "Then why come at all? We could have gotten Arawn and the kids out of there. There was not reason for you to do this."

She sighed and shook her head. "Yes there is. I have to face my past one day. It has been nearly twelve years since I have set foot in the Northern Tribe. I guess it is time I come full circle. Lay my past to rest and face the music. I have been avoiding my past for so long, don't know what I am gong to do when I confront it."

He dropped the subject and stood with her, watching the water rush past the merchant ship that carried them. The water n the north was pure and untainted shade of blue. He had never seen it before, and probably never would again.

Jelisa sighed next to him. "We are getting close, I can feel the Sprit Oasis. It is a draw for the Northern born benders. I use to love the feel of the Oasis."

He looked at her. "I remember Katara saying one time that you had to be high up in the food chain here to get near the Oasis."

She laughed. "You really don't know who you are traveling with, do you?"

Haru gave her a puzzled look. "All I know of you is that you are married to an Air Nomad and the leader of the assassins."

"Dear, sweet, naive Haru. I am, or was, in line for the position of princess before my banishment. Right after Yue became the Moon Spirit, my family was next in line for the throne because Arnook did not have an heir to the throne. My brother, Harper, was to be the next chief. That would make me a princess, I guess." She shrugged her shoulders.

"Whoa, wait! You mean I was traveling with two banished princess, and you didn't even tell me?!" His voice began to grow in volume, attracting the attention of some of the crew.

The sailors turned and looked at her. "Is it true? Are you Princess Jennasa?" One of them walked up to them.

Haru turned to her. Her face was a mask of cool calm. "No, you have me confused with another person. Jennasa died many years ago, so I heard. My name is Jelisa. I am just a humble Waterbending master who has come to ask for some help."

The sailor looked her up and down. "No, you are Jennasa. I know you are. Why are you going by Jelisa? Have you come to resume your role as our princess?"

--

Jelisa clinched her fists and looked over at Haru and gave him a look saying she would kill him later. She then turned her attention on the man in front of me. "No, now listen to me. My name is Jelisa. I was born in the Southern Water Tribe. My cousins are Sokka and Katara. I do not know who your princess is. I was coming here as favor for Katara."

"You look just like her. I was there when she was taken and banished. I had to take her ashore when we got to the Earth Kingdom. I did not want to do it but I had to think about my family. My youngest daughter had just found out she was a bender. I had to think about her." The man smiled at her. "You understand don't you?"

_So that is why he knows me. He is the one that I remember being so kind to me. Wrapping my wounds and making sure the Air Nomads found me. I owe this man my life._ She smiled at him. "I do understand, and thank you for understanding me."

"You are welcome, Jelisa of the Water Tribe. I am glad we had this chat." He bowed and walked off.

She turned to Haru, who looked like he was praying to his ancestors for a safe passage to the other side. "Don't worry, I am not going to kill you. If I did, Azula would fry me before I could get out one whip." She glared at him. "You are damn lucky that you are her boyfriend."

Haru smiled. "I guess dating the Fire Nation Princess has it's perks, besides the kissing."

Jelisa just rolled her eyes and looked at the Great Wall of the Northern Water Tribe appear on the horizon. "Now I have come full circle, and about to confront the only thing in this world that scares me more than a pissed off Avatar. My family and their reaction to me."

"It will be fine. I will stay with you the whole time. If they attack you, I will stay and defend. I will not let anything happen to you. Azula would kill me then. She thinks of you as her best friend. I don't know what it is about her picking her best friends on how well they would be able to kill her." Haru just shook his head at the thought of his girlfriend.

"Don't know but you are the one that is dating her, not me." She shot him a small crooked smile.

The small boat came to a stop as the captain walked on deck with the paperwork an crew manifest. Her and Haru had been added so it did not bring close watch to them as they walked around the city. A tall man in his late twenties, walked onto the boat. The captain handed him the paperwork, and the man looked over it. Jelisa pulled her hood up over her face and turned away from the pair. There was something familiar about the man that was working the port.

"Where is Jelisa of the Southern Water Tribe and Haru of the Earth Kingdom?" The man looked around the deck.

"They are over there." The captain, not wanting to get into trouble, pointed to them.

"Jelisa, Haru, please come with me. You have been summoned to the palace by Chief Harper and the Fire Lord and Lady."

Jelisa looked up at Haru. "Well, looks like Zuko and Katara beat us here. Aang must have loaned them Appa."

The man walked up to her. "You will refer to the Lord and Lady as such and The Avatar by his proper title."

Jelisa snorted. "Yeah right. They always be Zuko, Katara and Aang to me. I am the Fire Lord's guardian, and if you do not step down, Rahab, I will tear you apart, piece by piece." She threw off her hood and stared at the man she had called Rahab.

"By Tui and La, is it really you, Jennasa?" He smiled at Jelisa.

"She died that day, Rahab. I am Jelisa, master waterbender, assassin, bounty hunter, and the guardian to the Fire Nation prince and princess." Jelisa stood tall and looked him in the eye.

"Forgive me, Jelisa. I was just wanting to see my little sister again." He smiled brightly at her.

Her scowl deepened. "Like I said, she died nearly twelve years ago. Now, please take us to the palace. I have much to tell the Fire Lord and Lady."

--

Zuko looked at the man sitting in front of him. Chief Arnook had passed away nearly three weeks ago. Dying on the full moon. They said his heart was bad and that there was no suffering on his part. This new chief was from one of the most wealthy families in the Northern Tribe. Harper was a kind man in his late twenties, very early thirties.

"I am glad that you could join us today, Fire Lord Zuko and Fire Lady Katara." Chief Harper smiled at the couple. "My wife would have been here, but she is taking care of our newborn son."

"Congratulations is in order." Zuko looked at Harper before looking away.

Harper's smile fell. "I am terribly sorry. You are here to meet with someone who knows where your children are. I should have remembered that."

Katara smiled kindly at him. "Don't worry about it. I know Jelisa will bring good news about our children. Her husband, Arawn, is probably with them now."

Zuko watched as something passed over the other man's face. He flinched at the airbender's name. "Did you say Arawn?"

"Yes, do you know him? I know he spent time here when he was younger. He stayed with Jelisa and her family." Katara looked at Harper and then to her husband.

Harper smiled sadly. "Yeah I know him. He was friends with my sister, Jennasa, before she was banished. He left when the Air Nomad elders came for him."

Zuko didn't know what to say. He stared at the chief. They had something in common already. Both f their little sisters were banished from their homelands. "I am sorry to hear about your sister. Have you thought about looking for her?"

"No. The last thing I heard was that she may have died shortly after her banishment. She was tough, but she banishment was brutal." He looked away from them.

Zuko and Katara looked at each other. It sounded like the story Jelisa told them many years ago. Just then they heard a commotion out in the hall. A female's voice was loud and getting louder as they got closer. "I know the way, Rahab. You do not have to hold my hand the whole way, Keep it up and you will be on my hit list within the day, and do no think I will not kill someone from the royal family."

The voice was defiantly Jelisa. Right then, she busted in the door and stared at everyone in the room. Her eyes locked on Harper. Her lips pulled back into a feral grin and the assassin launched herself at the chief. Zuko tried to catch her before she did any damage to the young chief, but she hit him with a blast of water and sent him flying back. Katara stepped up and grabbed the pissed off woman. Jelisa backed away, but still glared at Harper.

"I am going to kill you, Harper. Make no mistake about that. I will kill you before I leave here." Jelisa growled at the chief, but did not move away from Katara.

Harper sat up and smiled at the assassin. "Nice to see you too, Jennasa. It has been too many years since I got to see my baby sister."

Zuko stopped moving. His brain tried to wrap around what was just said. Jelisa was Harper's sister, Jennasa? The psychotic Waterbending assassin that guarded his children and Aang's son with her life, was really a Water Tribe Princess.?! What the hell was going on?

"Shut up, Harper. For the record books, your little sister died the night she was banished. She was too weak. I was born that night. Under the full moon, Jelisa was born. I have done more things in my life than Jennasa could have ever dreamed about. I have mastered Waterbending . I have become an assassin that has killed more than you could ever dream of and I have also become a wife. You should remember my husband. Arawn?" She watched the dark slide across his face again. "I thought you would. You never thought much of him, but he always cared about me, unlike my real brothers who watched them carry me away, bruised, bloody and broken. Your sister died then and there. When you turned your faces, she died, and you are the ones to blame."

Jelisa/ Jennasa stared at the two men. Zuko watched the confrontation. _This was the reason Jelisa would never come back. She told me she would one day, but not like this. She did not want to face the people that made her the way she was. She was dead to them in so many ways. _

He walked over to Jelisa. "Do you have any news about the children?"

Jelisa turned her dead, ice blue eyes on him, and he involuntarily shook. "They are fine. Arawn is with them, and Azula as been assigned to their guard. No one will hurt them. They will see to that."

Katara hugged the woman from behind. "Thank you Jelisa. You are a true friend for coming here and telling us."

Jelisa shrugged her off. "Yeah, yeah. The only reason I am here is because I was threatened to come here. I would not be here any other way. I had not desire to see anyone here ever again."

The two men that she came in with walked toward them. One was the Earthbender, Haru. Zuko knew him from their time at the Western Air Temple, before the comet and the other man was one that Jelisa had called Rahab. He was her other brother.

Rahab approached Jelisa carefully. Not moving too fast and letting her see everything he was doing. From the look of him, he was not a bender. Neither was Harper. It looked like the only bender in their family was Jelisa.

"Look sis, I do not want to fight you. I want to apologize for what happened all those years ago. I never wanted that to happen, but if you had just listened to us, you would still be here." Rahab watched his sister.

"I don't think so. I would not be a pretty china doll Mom could dress up and send off into the world. I was my own person. I wanted to bend, and I had the talent. I fought to get where I am today and like it or not, you guys are directly responsible for killing part of me." Jelisa glared at the second man. "You are still going to die, Haru. I just have to find a way to do it so Azula does not know it was me."

_So that was new. Azula and Haru hooked up. Will wonders never stop? Zuko shook his head again, trying to think of his sister dating tame Earthbender. He would place bets on Azula was the one that called all the shots in their relationship._

Harper stood up and looked at everyone. "Now, can we please sit down and talk about this civilly? You have information we need to take out the resistance, and for the Fire Lord and Lady t get their children back, along with the Avatar's child. If you like, after the meeting, you can kill me publicly, if that will make you feel better, Jennasa?"

"It's Jelisa now. No more Jennasa." The Waterbending assassin looked at the chief.

"My bad, Jelisa then. You can kill me publicly." He smiled at her.

Jelisa sighed and rubbed her temples. "Let's get this over with."

**So, how do you like the little twist I put on Jelisa/ Jennasa. It is prononced Jen-na-say. I needed her to be more than a simple person from the Northern Tribe. There is a battle coming up, so be prepared. It will probably be the longest chapter. See ya later!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hopefully you have liked the story so far. Warning, there is a few curse words in the later part of this chapter. I was in a bad mood when I wrote the end part. There is a bit more interaction with Jelisa and her brothers later. I haven't mentioned this in awhile. I do not own Avatar, but I do own Harper, Rahab, Jelisa and Arawn. Hey, if any of you can tell me where I got the name for Jelisa's second brother, I will write you something special. Oh, one more thing, I have a new song posted on my other fanfic going on, Another Group of Songs. Please check it out and let me know what you think.**

Toph paced the length of the throne room. It had been four days since Zuko and Katara took off for the North Pole. In the message Azula had sent, she said that the children and Arawn were fine, and Jelisa and Haru were being forced to go to the North. _That's great. Send the crazed Waterbending assassin and the pansy Earthbender to the Northern Water Tribe with no supervision. The leaders of this resistance are not the most intelligent._

She turned around and walked the other direction. "Any word yet?" She turned her head in the general direction of Iroh and Aang.

"Not yet, Toph. I told you I would let you know." Aang looked at his wife. "You need to calm down. Zuko and Katara are probably talking to Jelisa and Haru now. They will send word when they find out more."

Toph crossed her arms in in front of her chest. "I know, I know, but I am just worried about the children." she dropped her head. "Aang, I want my son back."

She felt him walk over to her and wrap his arms around her. "I miss him too, but until we know where they are hiding them, there is nothing we can do. Arawn is with them, and he would never let anything happen to them. Plus, Azula has his back. They are safe and sound, and untouched. Have faith in our friends. They will not let us down."

She felt a tear slide down her cheek. Her son, her little airbender, taken prisoner by the resistance. "I'm trying, Twinkle Toes, I'm really trying."

He ran his hand through her hair.. "I know, that is all I'm asking from you, Toph. They will come back, then you can go and crush the resistance the way you want to." He kissed the top of her head. "We will make them pay for messing with our family."

She smiled slightly. He knew just how to make her feel better. Promises of crushing the enemy was a way to make her happy. "Sounds good to me."

"Aang, Toph, Iroh!" Sokka came tearing into the throne room with Suki and Ty Lee hot on his heels. Hawky, judging from the sound of the wing beats, was flying right next to his master. "Katara just sent a message!"

Toph pulled out of her husband's embrace. "Well, don't just stand there. Read it, Snoozles before I bury you under the palace."

Sokka unrolled the parchment.

_Everyone,_

_Jelisa showed up yesterday. The children are fine. Arawn and Azula are watching them. No harm will come to them, so can stop worrying, Toph. Anyway, there is a few things we have learned from Haru and Jelisa. One, the resistance plans on attacking in three months, on the anniversary of the fall of Ozai. Right now, they have numbers on their side. The Fire Nation Army is not big enough to take them down. Toph, would you go to the Earth King and try to get as many troops as you can? You have the man's ear. He will listen to you. Aang, we need you to go to the Air Nomads. See if they will help. Sokka, you need to go home and tell Dad what is going on. Suki and Ty Lee, head back to Kyoshi and gather the warriors. We need all the help we can get. We have the men and women from the Northern tribe helping. Jelisa is going to rally the assassin's guild and try to get them to join. We are trying to get as many as we can. We are leaving here in a few days time. Meet back up in two weeks at Ba Sing Sei. We will then see where we stand. _

_Katara and Zuko_

_P.S. You guys will not believe this, but Jelisa is not just any waterbender from the North. She is now the crowned princess, and her real name is Jennasa. Crazy huh?_

Everyone just looked at each other. Ty Lee was the one to break the silence. "Jelisa, our gloomy, gray aura'd assassin, is really a princess? Didn't see that one coming."

Toph shook her head. She turned her head in the general direction of Iroh. "What is up with royalty walking around the world with different names and trying to be normal?"

Iroh chuckled. "It's fun to mess with people."

She rolled her unseeing eyes. "Why did I ask you? You are the Dragon of the West. One of the most powerful people in the Fire Nation, and you own a tea shop in Ba Sing Sei."

"Even powerful people need to be normal at times, Toph. They need to escape every now and again. You of all people should understand that, General Bei Fong." The Dragon of the West smiled at her.

Toph just shrugged her shoulders. "Anyway, we are all suppose to split up and get more troops. I have no clue how many the Earth King will give me, if he gives me any."

Aang put his arm around her and hugged her shoulder. "We all have to try. That is all we can do."

--

Arawn looked around the small room for what felt like the millionth time. It was the same. A decent sized bed, a sink, a few books and a small writing desk. It was the room Jelisa had spent the last two months in, and it was now his and the children's cell.

They were all asleep at that time. He had told them stories of the Air Nomads before the war, and any other he could remember from his travels. It had been nearly a week since their capture at the hands of the Resistance. Most of the time, Marcus, Malaya, and Matthias were well behaved, but there were other times they cried for their parents. It was in those moments that he would gather them up and let them cry on his lap.

It was the hardest on Malaya. She had never been far from her mother and father. The boys had spent the night with each other, and had no problems being away from their parents, but Malaya was distraught a lot of the time. She took a liking to Azula when she came to visit. He had not told Malaya and Matthias that she was their aunt. It was not his place. Azula could tell the Fire Prince and Princess when she was really.

The door creaked open and Azula slipped in the room. She closed the door quietly and nodded to him. "I brought you something. It took me awhile to get the guards away long enough to get it in here." She pulled a bow and a full quiver of arrows out from behind her cloak. "Will it due?"

Arawn smiled at the ex Fire Princess. He pulled the string back experimentally. He smiled bigger. "Oh, this is perfect. Where did you get this?"

She grinned. "One of the men that joined from the Fire Nation is an ex-Yu Yan. I bought it from him for a rather good bargain. I told him I would not kill him if he gave it to me." She looked at her nails. "I wonder how he made it through their training. He about pissed himself when I threw fire at his feet."

Arawn laughed. "Most likely a wash out. They think they are hot shit because they had a shot to be a Yu Yan archer, but most of the recruits don't make it through the first few weeks of training." He put the quiver on his back and placed the bow in the quiver. "This will come in handy when I make our escape."

She looked at him. "When do you plan to do this? The general is getting really pissed off because Jelisa is not back yet. He wants to take his frustrations out on you. He knows if he touches the children, he will have to deal with everyone, but you are a different story. You have to make your move soon."

He nodded and looked at the children as they slept peacefully. "I hate to have them see me kill people. They are still too young to see death."

Azula shook her head. "If you do not go soon, they are going to see your death. Then they will see a lot more than what you would inflict when Jelisa comes back and finds out. She would bring the place around everyone's ears. You know what she can do when she is pissed off."

He stood up and paced the length of the small sitting room. "I know, I know, but still. I have to plan this out to the second. I have never tried an escape with three children in tow."

Azula just stood there. "I know you are worried, but I have given you all the information I have. You have to go tonight. The ball is about to roll, and you do not want to be in it's way. Take them and get out of here. They are about to march, and they will leave you here to die."

He stopped and hung his head. "Fine, I will get them out of here tonight. I will meet you in Ba Sing Sei. I have to get to the palace. I have friends that are there that can get the children home." He smiled at her. "I will see you there, right?"

She nodded and smiled. "Yeah, I will be there. The Earth King will not be happy to see me, but that is something I will have to deal with when the times comes." She walked over to him and pulled a map out of her pocket. "This is the plans to this place. I think part of this place is under Lake Laogui. There is ways out if you are not an Earthbender. I have marked them. Good luck to you."

Arawn pulled her into a hug. "Thank you Azula. You truly have changed, and I really like the new you."

The Princess blushed as he let her go. "Just get going before they find out what is going on."

--

Harper looked across the table at his sister. She was the same in appearances as he remembered, but she was colder, harder than he could ever recall. She would not answer to Jennasa, but would answer to Jelisa. She was not like he remembered. All traces of his sweet sister was gone, replaced by the hardened assassin she had become.

"We have to be precise when we strike. One minor flaw and they will have us. Our forces are small, but all of our men are trained to kill. Many of their people are no more than disgruntled farmers and noblemen. They were not trained in the ways of combat." Jelisa looked at everyone at the table. Her gaze stayed on him the longest. She was letting him know silently, she was not Jennasa, but Jelisa.

Fire Lord Zuko was the first to speak. "J, you spent time with them. How many people are we looking at here?"

"20,000 at the most. They are strong in numbers like I have said before. I still have my men among them, watching and gathering information that will be useful. From their reports, the general plans on attacking in the next four months. The battle will take place in the area that Aang fought your father, Ozai." She smiled at him. "They think that if they win there, it will bring them luck. They are idiots, all of them."

"I think we should just send our men in there and wipe them out before this battle. If what you are saying is true, they will not pose a problem against our strongest benders." Harper looked at Jelisa.

She laughed, a cold and unnerving laugh. "You would think that, wouldn't you, Harper, but if you take your men in there, they will be massacred before they could get to the main army. You forget, they are recruiting Yu Yan archers and they have the Rough Rhinos." She turned to Zuko. "Sorry, they have turned on you. They were loyal to your father only. He paid they for their services. When you cut that out of your budget, they got pissed when the money quit coming in. They want your head on a platter, Zuko. You are their first target, I am next."

Rahab finally joined the conversation. "Whoa wait! Why do they want to kill you?"

Jelisa turned to her other brother. "I turned them down, then shoved an ice dagger in their leader's leg after he tried to get fresh with me. I am a married woman and I would never do that to Arawn." She grinned. "Besides, it was fun to see him screaming in pain and calling me everything but my name."

Katara shook her head and smiled. "You have a sick sense of humor, Jelisa, you know that?"

"Hey, I had to keep my mind while I was there." She sat back in her chair and looked at everyone again. "Anyway, back to the business at hand. They have Arawn and the children. Azula is working on getting them out of there as we speak. She has been walking the grounds and finding weak points in their defenses. There not many in their base, but there is enough to get them out undetected."

"Jennasa…" Harper began, but she glared at him. "No, I will call you by your birth name. You will always be Jennasa to me, no matter what you say. To your assassins and outside of this tribe, you maybe Jelisa, master waterbender and assassin, but here, in my court, you will be Jennasa, princess of the Northern Water Tribe."

She let out a bark of a laugh and her eyes flashed with blue fire. "To the outside world, I am a master of my element, but here, here I am just a princess? Get your head out of your ass, Harper. I will never be what you want me to be. I am a waterbender, an assassin and a guardian. I am that before your little picture of me. I have grown up, if you haven't noticed. I probably have more balls than you do, you ass."

Harper felt the ground shake as Jelisa's fury reached it's peak. "I may be an ass, but you are acting like stubborn child. You were born into this world of fancy titles. You were a princess before all of that."

The ground busted below him, shooting him straight into the air. He landed hard on his back, he felt the wind leave his lungs. Black spots swam in front of his eyes. He gulped to fill his lungs with precious air, when he felt someone sit on his chest. Jelisa looked into his eyes. "You may be my oldest brother, and you will always have a place in my heart, but if you think you can rule my life like you rule over the Northern Tribe, you have another thing coming. I will not hesitate to take you out. I will not do it, but I have over a thousand assassins at my beck and call. One of them will take you out before you can bat an eye."

He pushed her off of his chest. He glared at her. "You may be powerful, but I can find someone to take you out. Remember that."

She grinned psychotically at him. "Try it. Kill me. I will welcome it. I have been trying to do it for years, Harper, ever since you plunged the knife into my womb and killing the only child I would ever have." She stood up and walked away. She called over her shoulder. "I hope you are proud of yourself, your highness. I hope you enjoy the feel of your son in your arms. Because of you, I will never know that feeling. I will never give a child to my husband. I will never know the feel of a child growing in me." With that, she fled out of the room, black cloak billowing out from behind her.

He hung his head and felt the tears prick the back of his eyes. He felt shame for what he did, but he was ordered to do it by his father. He was mad when he found out she was pregnant by Arawn. He told Harper to destroy the child before it could be brought into the world. He listened and obeyed like a good son. He destroyed his little sister. "I'm sorry, Jennasa, I'm so sorry." Then he let the tears go.

**Okay, I had to put a little more interaction in between Jelisa and Harper and give her a reason to want to kill him. The battle between Arawn and the resistance is coming up next chapter. This chapter was just setting things up. Hope you liked it. Let me know what you think about the story and I will be your best online friend for life. See ya next chapter everyone! **


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey I promised a fight scene and I shall deliver. There is some bloody spots in it. I ad a bad dya at work and I decided to write. I think it came out ok. Please reveiw and tell me what you think. This was my first attemp at a bloody scene. **

The time was fast approaching. The guards had become laxed in their jobs over the last few days. Since being here, Arawn had followed the letter of conduct to a t. he never tried to escape and only spoke when spoken to, but what they didn't realize that he was just biding his time, waiting for the right moment. The moment when they would not expect it.

He had stored the bow Azula gave him under the mattress, unstrung so there would be no damage to it. The children did not know what was going on, and Arawn wanted to keep it that way until it was time for him to make his move.

The door to their room slowly opened and Azula walked in. "It's nearing the time to go, Arawn. The general is about to up the guards to this room. I will keep the new ones away from here for three minutes. You will have that small window to make your move. I wish you good luck, and my Agni watch over you."

She gave a low bow, then walked back out.

He turned to the children. "Hey you guys, we are going home tonight, but to get there, we are going to play a little game."

The three children smiled. "How do we play, Uncle Arawn?" Matthias smiled at the airbender.

"Well, we have to be really quiet and sneaky, just like in the stories I told you about the Blue Spirit. You can pretend you are sneaking around to help rescue the Avatar from the clutches of the evil Zhao." He smiled down at them, but Malaya frowned.

"I don't want to be the Blue Spirit. He was a guy. I want to be The Painted Lady. She helped all those people." She smiled dreamily.

Arawn ruffled her hair. "Alright Princess, you can be the Painted Lady, but you have to be quiet. The guards don't want us to play our game so they are going to try and stop us if we make too much noise. The only rule is to stay with me."

They nodded in unison. "Okay Uncle Arawn."

He walked toward the door. Placing an ear to the metal, he heard the guards shuffling around outside. The time was now. Three minutes to make it out of the area. Three minutes to herd three children to safety. A tall order, but at least they could defend themselves if it came down to it. He turned back to the children. "Stay here for a moment. I am going to check to see if the guards are hiding."

They smiled and nodded. He slipped out the door with one arrow in his hand. The area outside the door was too small to shoot the bow accurately, but a single bolt was an effective hand to hand weapon. Using his air bending, he made his feet light and silent. The one guard was lounging in a chair, eyes slightly closed. He saw his target. Pulling the arrow back in his hand, he punched it through the man's neck.

Crimson blood flowed out of the man's neck as he slumped over the table in front of him. Arawn knew he had hit the jugular in his neck. There was no wait for the man to die. The airbender didn't think twice about what he just did to the guard. It was war, and there was other lives at stake.

Lifting the body, he half drug the man down the small hallway and threw him into a deserted room. Closing the door, he looked at the blood on his hands and the arrow. It was still slightly warm, but cooling fast. He found a basin of water and quickly got rid of the sticky crimson fluid. Now the children would not freak out.

He opened the door and smiled at Matthias, Marcus, and Malaya. "You three ready for the game?"

They nodded eagerly. "We sure are, Uncle Arawn." Marcus smiled big.

"Then let the games begin."

--

Azula walked the hallway away from Arawn's room. She knew the airbender would get the children out safely. She could not stand having her niece and nephew here. They were just children. They did not need to be exposed to this life. It was suppose to be a time of peace, but that was shattered in a moment when they decided to declare war against Zuko.

Her and her brother had their differences in the past, but since then, they were now two different people. She had seen that she was just being used, controlled by Ozai for his own gain. She did not want that again. When Jelisa had offered her a position as a bounty hunter, Azula jumped on it. Using her tracking skills to hunt the wicked just felt right. She was still trying to make up for a lifetime of evil deeds.

"Princess, what brings you down these halls?" One of the guards looked at her.

She smirked at them. "I can go wherever I please, peasant. If I want to take your room, I will. If I want to fry your ass into that wall, I will. Do not question me about where I am if you do not want to face my wrath." She slipped into her evil princess mode without hesitation. She pulled blue fire into her hand. "Do we understand each other?"

The guards looked at each other and gulped. "Perfectly, you highness."

"Good, now where are you heading? There have been talks about spies and saboteurs lately. We do not want our mission to fail." She glared at them, but silently smiling on the inside. They believed she was on their side, but secretly she WAS the spy and saboteur. It was a wonderful feeling to know you had someone right where you want them. It was all too easy.

The head of the guard unit stood a little straighter. "We are on our way to guard the prisoners. I hear the older airbender is Jelisa's husband. How someone with a temper like hers hooked up with a peace loving air head is beyond me." He smiled at her. "I heard you nearly killed the Avatar in Ba Sing Sei many years ago."

Azula's rage began to surface. What they didn't know was Arawn could kill them without a second thought. She checked the rage that was starting to come out. "Yes, I did nearly kill him, but if you do not get to your post, I will show you what I did to him and you will not have to be an airbender to fly."

They ran past her. She smiled and continued on her way to meet with a few people that had been helping her out.

--

Arawn stopped at the end of the hallway. He could hear people talking and having a good time. According to Azula's map of the place, they were near the mess hall. There was an exit shortly after that. Making sure the way was clear, he shuffled the children down the next hallway. The voices grew distant behind them. He would be glad to get out of here, and get them to the palace.

The exit was right in front of them, a few short feet. They were nearly there when the alarm was sounded. The guards had either found out they had escaped or found their comrade dead, a perfect hole through the middle of his neck.

Arawn bent down and smiled at the kids. "I need you to do me a favor. Go out this exit and run. Do not stop until you hit the Great Wall of Ba Sing Sei. Tel the guard on duty that you need to get to the palace. Do not tell them who you are. Tell them your parents work there and you guys are lost. Do you understand that?"

They nodded, their eyes wide with fear. Malaya walked up to him. "Uncle Arawn, are you going to join us soon?"

He smiled at her. "I will, you can count on that. Now, you need to go. Do not stop for anyone." He pushed open the door and the bright sunlight filtered into the dark hallway. "Run."

They took off like an arrow, swift and true. The Great Wall was not far from where they were at now, but he could not follow them, not yet. He had unfinished business with these men and their leader.

Notching an arrow into the bow, he silently crept down the hallway. No one would survive this if he had anything to say about it. They would pay dearly for messing with his family and friends. They would suffer for the beating he took. They would not live to tell their comrades about the fight against a pissed off airbender.

Hearing footsteps, he smiled. _Come on, come to your deaths._ He pulled the bow back. The footsteps grew closer. They were right around the corner. Judging from the heavy foot fall, a few of them were earthbenders. He smiled even bigger. It would be easy to take them out.

The group of men rounded the corner and came face to face with the airbender. Arawn let lose the arrow he was holding. It ripped through the man in front. Piercing his chest and coming out the other side, coated in blood. The man began to gurgle up blood from where the arrow had pierced most likely a lung and nicked the heart from the amount of blood was coming from the guy's mouth.

Notching another one, he let that one fly as well. The men sent after him were not prepared for what they walked into. Within a few seconds, two of their guys were dead. The airbender was grinning and notching a third arrow.

The Earthbenders leapt into action, pulling up walls to block the arrows. That did not stop Arawn through. He ran to the wall and blasted it apart with a well aimed air jet. The remaining men were thrown backwards along with the corpses of their fall soldiers.

"Come on. This isn't even a real fight. I thought you guys were trained in combat. I am but a lowly airbender, and I am wiping the floor with you." Arawn walked up to the jumbled mess of bodies, living and dead. "Get up and fight!"

The men cowered in front of the crazed airbender. "Please spare us. I signed up to get more money for my family. I never meant to really hurt anyone."

Arawn knelt in front of them. A mask of cold rage placed upon his face. "What about those children's family? You guys took them away from their mothers and fathers. To you, they are the enemy. But why? Why are they the enemy? Because they belong to the Fire Nation? Because they are trying to make the world a better place? You don't even know why you are fighting in this battle, do you?" Arawn stood up and walked toward the corridor that lead back into the base. "I would advise you to get out of here if you want me to spare you. When I am done many more bodies will be piling up. Get while I still have a heart."

The men ran for the exit like the devil himself was chasing them. Arawn rolled his shoulders and notched another deadly arrow. He would bring this place to a standstill if he had to. He wanted revenge for himself and the children.

--

Matthias placed his hands on his knees and breathed deeply. His lungs burned from all the running they had just done. Uncle Arawn had not followed them yet, but he believed what the man had said, and that he would meet them at the palace. He looked over at his sister and his best friend. Malaya was the same as him, extremely winded, but Marcus just stood there, looking around. He was an airbender, so all the running was not a stretch for him.

"Matthias, are we almost there? I am getting tired, and I want to see Mom and Dad. I miss them!" His sister looked at him with big eyes.

He smiled at her. Even with them being twins, he felt like he was years older than her sometimes. He took it upon himself to protect his Waterbending sister. With no water around, she was defenseless, but he could make fire, just like his father had taught him.

"We should be almost there. I hope so anyway." He looked around at the wall, but could not find the entrance. "Hey Marcus, could you run around and find out where we are suppose to be? I think we are lost."

The other boy smiled largely. "Sure." With that, he was gone in a flash. A few seconds later, Marcus appeared again. "It's only around the next turn. There is one guard."

Matthias helped Malaya to her feet. "Come on sis. We can completely rest when we get to the palace. The Earth King will help us get home."

The walked around to the guard. "Excuse me sir, I think we are lost."

The guard walked out of his small shack and looked at the trio. "How did you get out here?"

"I don't know. We were running around and then we realized that we were outside the wall. Can you help us get to the palace?" Matthias gave the guard his best puppy dog eyes.

"Why the palace?" The guard asked suspiciously.

Marcus jumped in. "That's where my mom works. They are my cousins. Their parents are far away."

"Very well. Follow me." The man earthbended a small door into the wall and walked through. The trio followed him and was shocked at the vast fields that were beyond the wall. "Do not worry. You do not have to walk through it. My replacement always brings two mounts with him. That is how we will get to the city."

The children nodded and waited for the other guard to show up. Then, on the horizon, a small cloud of dust appeared. The cloud became larger, and then they could see a person riding on a strange looking animal. He pulled up short when he saw the children.

The first man smiled. "No they are not mine. They somehow got lost and ended up out here. I am taking them back to where they belong."

The second man nodded and dismounted. "Good luck on that. See you tomorrow." He earthbended the wall and walked to the small shack, bending the wall back behind him.

"Come along. We do not want your parents to worry much." He placed Matthias and Malaya on one of the animals and Marcus in front of him on the second. Thus began their trip to the Earth Kingdom palace.

**Okay, The kids are out, Arawn is pissed and Azula is planning something. Trouble is brewing on the horizon for many people. Hopefully not too much trouble, but you never know how my twisted mind will work. Stay tuned for the next chapter!**


	10. Chapter 10

Katara looked over at the kneeling man. So he was the reason for her friend's barren state. Instead of being mad at him, she felt sorry. That was something he had to live with. She looked at her husband. His eyes were wide with shock.

"Zuko, I'm going after her. You need to talk to him." She pointed to the chief. She walked out of the room and went to find Jelisa.

Knowing the one place in the North that would have a calming effect on a waterbender, she hurried to the Spirit Oasis. Hoping the other woman was there, she opened the door and smiled when she saw Jelisa sitting in front of the small pool.

"Is it safe to enter?" Katara smiled at her friend.

Jelisa looked up. Tears streamed down her face. She didn't want to be here. "Yeah, I have no fight right now. You are safe."

The Fire Lady walked over and sat down. "So, it was your brother that did it to you?"

Jelisa looked down at the koi fish that were Tui and La. "In a manner, yes, but it was my father that had him do it. Arawn and I had plans to runaway together when I became of age. My father found out, and was furious. I was a lady of the court. I was to marry a waterbender or someone of their choosing, not an airbender." She sighed and pushed a stray piece of hair out of her face. "They gave me to Ty, an Earthbender. They lived far enough away that I would not be a bother to them again. When the siege happened and Ty was killed, they decided I should be married to a well mannered waterbender and produce Waterbending babies."

Katara knew where she was going. "You didn't want that life. You wanted to be with Arawn. I have seen how you two look at each other. It is the same way someone in love looks at each other."

The other woman smiled. "I have always loved the air head. Ever since we were little. He said he would always be there for me. The one day I needed him the most, he was with his people. I loved him more than Waterbending. We had plans. I would run off and meet him. We would be married in the Air Nomad customs, and be together until we parted this world. The night he left, we became one. I became pregnant. I was overjoyed when Yugoda told me." Tears fell from the woman's eyes again.

"A baby. I was going to have my love's child. A child born of Air and Water. I ran home to pack. My father met me at the door. He told me I was to marry one of the benders from our tribe the next full moon. That was in two days. I told him I couldn't. That's when I told him he would be a grandfather in seven months. He became furious. He banished me from the house. I was not allowed to take anything except the clothes on my back. When I left, he sent Harper after me." She stopped talking. Her eyes never left the water.

Katara felt tears leave her eyes. The pain of losing a child she knew. She lost a child when she was four months pregnant last year. Since then, her and Zuko had not tried for another. "Jelisa, I know the pain of losing a child. You can finish, or not. It is up to you."

Jelisa shook her head. "I wish the water here would heal me. I wish of that more than anything, but it is no more than a pipe dream. I will not have a child of my own."

"I can try. I can try to heal you. I am a master healer." Katara began to bend a small amount of water from the pool, but Jelisa stopped her.

"No, you can not heal me. I have nothing to heal. They removed my womb to save my life. It was one or the other. There was no saving both. They chose to save me. I am half a woman, with no future." Jelisa whispered the last part, but Katara heard it.

"No, you are more of a woman than most. Do not sell yourself short, J. I have seen you with my children, plus Aang and Toph's son. You would have been an excellent mother." The younger waterbender smiled at the other woman.

Jelisa sighed and looked back at the water. "You know, still to this day, I have not told Arawn the whole truth. If I told him what had happend, I knew he would find a way up here and kill Harper. I may hate him, but he is still my brother, my blood. I culd not live with mysef if someone killed him for me. I lied when I said I woud sent an assassin after him. I wouldn't do that. If I had it in me, I would have done it years ago." Shaking her head, Jelisa looked at Katara. "To tell you the truth, I do not know who I am mad at the most. My father for telling Harper to do it, or my brother for actually listening."

The two women sat in silence, watching the ocean and moon spirit do their eternal dance around each other. Push and pull for all eternity. It was the same struggle that was going on in everyone soul.

--

Arawn looked down the corridor. According to the last man that encountered him, the general was held up in the main audience chamber with about twenty guards. Arawn just smiled as he knocked the man out and proceeded to take his keys. The weapons locker was up the way. That was where they had put his kindjal and his bow. When he had them back, the real fun would begin.

Racing up the corridor, he used his air bending to knock people out of his way. He had not done this in many ages. It was quite invigorating. He relished in the thrill of the chase, and the hunt. A smile crept onto his lips. Notching an arrow onto the bow string, he used a small amount of air bending to project it farther and faster than he would ever be able to release. It punched through the two guards that were stationed at the door of the armory. They were dead before they hit the ground. Their dead, unseeing eyes stared ahead as he unlocked the door.

Weapons of all kinds lined the walls. "Oh, I just hit the jackpot." He smiled bigger as he found his weapons in a foot locker. Placing his beloved sword on his hip, he threw the borrowed bow to the ground and picked up his. It was not damaged and was as smooth as the day he got it.

Loading up with arrows, he looked around the room to see if there was anything else he would need. There in the corner was a beautiful sword. Picking it up, it was vaguely familiar. He pulled it from the scabbard. It was defiantly a Piandao made blade, judging from the style and weight. It's silvery blade caught the light of the torches and casted a shimmer across the room.

Looking at the hilt, the memory snapped into place. He knew who's blade it was. They had it taken many years ago, when they were taken to the Boiling Rock. Lost to the tides of time, they were too embarrassed to go back to Piandao for a replacement.

Placing it back in it's scabbard, he strapped it to his back and walked out of the room. Ten guards turned the corner and spotted him. The earthbenders launched their projectiles at him, as he ducked back into the room. "Shit! How am I going to get out of this one now?"

Thinking quickly, he gathered up a large lungful of air and dived back out into the hall. Releasing the air, he saw the men quickly pull up a wall to protect themselves and the non-benders with them. But to Arawn, the gust was just a distraction. He ran the opposite direction and slid around the corner. Leaving the men behind, he headed to where the general was. He would end this today and regroup in Ba Sing Sei. First, he had to find Azula.

--

Azula heard the commotion in the halls as she exited to door to her chambers. _Why didn't that idiot leave? He will surely get killed if he keeps this fool's errand up. What good is he to the children if he is in the Spirit World?_

She looked down the hallway and spotted him as he tore around the corner at speeds only an airbender can reach. He spotted her, and came to a dead stop. "Just the person I was looking for." He smiled at her and revealed a row of perfect teeth. "We have to go."

She shook her head. "I don't think so. I have to stay here a little longer."

Arawn's smile fell and was replaced by a scowl. "No, you are coming now. They will find you sooner rather than later, Azula. We have to get out of here. I will not leave here knowing I have left you to the wolves. My wife would have my head in more ways than one."

Azula still did not move from her spot. "I am a Fire Nation Princess. I can stand my ground against anything they send at me, if they find out about my motives."

Arawn threw his hands in the air. "You are as infuriating as my wife. Fine if you will not go willing, you will come over my shoulder." He surprised her by grabbing her waist and throwing her over his massive shoulder. "Now let's go Princess." He took off like a shot, and she left her stomach back at her chamber door.

She felt the bile rise in her throat. She knew if he didn't stop soon, she would ruin the clothes he had on. Forcing it back down, she yelled at him. "Arawn, put me down. I think I am going to be sick." Azula pounded his back.

He slowed down and stopped at the exit. "Here is our stop, Princess. You are going to Ba Sing Sei, and I am staying here to finish off the man that hurt my wife."

She heard the steel in his voice. Clearing her throat, she looked him in the eye. "If you are so hell bent on doing this, then I will come with you. I have not had many opportunities to fry people and get away with it."

He grinned. A feral sadistic grin. "I thought you left those thoughts in the past, Princess?"

She matched his grin. "I may have changed, but there are certain urges that you can only suppress for so long. You of all people should know that, living with Jennasa of all people."

Arawn jumped back and stared at Azula. She laughed at him. "I know about her past. I walked in at the wrong time and saw the scars with my own eyes. She could not hide it for long. Not after I slipped something in her tea for her to tell the truth. Do not worry, Haru was not there, and no one else heard. Everyone was too afraid of her to come near her rooms."

Arawn just shook his head. "Alright, let's go hunting. Show me those skills Jun taught you, or refined." He pulled out his blade and turned to look at her. "Let's go."

They ran back through the hall, blade and fire running through the underground base, heading straight for it's leader.

--

Marcus smiled as they reached the gates of the Earth Kingdom palace. Soon, he would see his mother and father again. He missed them so much. Hopefully Uncle Arawn and that nice lady, Azula, would be there waiting. He said they would meet back up here and Marcus would hold him to his promise. He would make Aunt Jelisa get him.

Walking behind the guard that helped them get this far, he smiled at his friends. They were smiling as well. Soon, they would be going home as well. They would get to see their parents and their homeland. Matthias smiled back at Marcus.

"Can you believe it? We are going to get to see our families again. Isn't it great?" The Fire Prince couldn't stop smiling. "I want to see my dad soooo much. I bet he is worried sick."

Malaya looked at her brother. "Nuh uh. I think Mom is more worried. She always worries about something. You know that. She goes nuts when something happens in our training sessions." She smiled at the memory.

Marcus thought about his own parents. "I know my parents are worried sick. I am surprised that everything isn't torn apart by now, the way my mom's temper is." He watched his mom get mad at his dad one time and half the temple's wall was blown apart. "Yeah, Dad must be keeping her calm."

Just then, there was a large explosion form the throne room and three angry voices. "No, you don't understand. Fire Lord Zuko and Lady Katara's children have been taken, along with my son. If you do not help me with some troops, I will bring this place down around your head so fast you will not know what happened." Marcus recognized the voice. It was his mother, Toph.

The other one, defiantly male. "General Bei Fong. You need to calm down. You are going to destroy the palace, and then you will not get your men. They will have to come here and rebuild what you have destroyed."

Marcus smiled bigger and ran for the throne room. Blasting the doors off their hinges, he ran straight to his mother with tears in his eyes. "Mom!" He flew into her waiting arms. She wrapped her arms around him and began to cry. The mighty General Bei Fong, cried openly in front of everyone as she hugged her son. "Mom, I missed you so much!"

**Kids have been reunited with Toph and Arawn has teamed up with Azula to bring more chaos to the resistance. Man, Azula and Arawn have been tow of my favorite to write about. Jelisa's big moment with Harper and Rahab are next. You get to see what happened to their father. Hehe it will be good. Plus, the next chapter might be a little graphic with the two psychos loose by themselves. My husband wants to write and Arawn is his creation. We will see what e comes up with. Oh boy, hang on to your stomachs. I know that much. See ya later.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Whoo hoo, we are finally done. My husband and myself that is. He had a llot of fun writing. I may have him do it again, if you all want him to. It is a little bloody, that is all I am saying. Before I continue, I do not own Avatar. I am saying that because I woke up one morning from a great dream and into reality. Mike and Bryan own it here, much to my dismay. (Stchks out tongue) On them. On wuth the show.**

"J, why did you change your name?"

Jelisa was yanked from her thoughts. She looked over at Katara with confusion on her face. "Huh? Change my name? Oh, from Jennasa to Jelisa. Well, I thought I needed a fresh start. When Arawn's people took me in, they bandaged my wounds, but being the peaceful people they are, they tried to get me to go back and make up for my past transgressions. I wanted nothing to do with that. I had been nearly killed, my womb removed and to top it all off, they would not let me see Arawn. They did not want him to marry me. I could not help their cause in repopulating the Air Nomads."

She ground her teeth together and looked back at the water. "I was mad, angry. They were just like my father in my eyes. Denying me the one thing I wanted most in the world. So, I began trying to kill them. That was when they let me see him. In the middle of the night, he whisked me away to the Foggy Swamp to train with Hugh. Arawn left me there, and never came back. At that time, I was still going by Jennasa. I decided then and there that Jennasa was dead. I would become Jelisa, a new person."

"So basically, you changed your name to hide. You wanted the world to forget you were ever alive, am I right?" Katara looked over at her.

Jelisa nodded. "Something like that." She stood up and stretched. "Come on. There are a few things I have to get out of Harper before I leave. I want to know what happened to my father."

The two walked back to the room where Harper, Zuko and Rahab were. The three siblings stared at each other. Harper bowed his head to Jelisa. "I am sorry."

Jelisa lifted her hand for him to go no farther. "I did not come back here to hear you apologize, Harper. I came here to get help. Now that I am here, you can clear up a few things for me. What happened to Father? Why didn't he take over?"

Harper looked at Rahab, then back at his sister. "He died in his sleep one night about six years ago. He had a heart attack. There was nothing that could have been done."

Jelisa crossed her arms over her chest. "Damn, he went peacefully then?" Rahab nodded his head yes. "That sucks. I was hoping for something more painful, like being eaten alive by some crazed fish, or falling into the freezing water and dying of hypothermia." She shrugged her shoulders. "Either way he is out of my hair, but I would have loved to see the look on his face when I told him I married Arawn. That would have been priceless."

Rahab cracked a smile. "You always liked to push his buttons."

"Yeap." She grinned, but then quickly sobered up. "Back to business. Three to four months from now, they will attack. They have factions all over the world. I was not given the information as to where all of them are, but there is at least one here in the north. Be on your guard, Harper. I really don't want to see anything happen to you."

The others looked at her funny. "I thought you wanted to kill him? You said so yourself." Zuko looked at her.

She smiled at the Fire Lord. "I do. That is why I told him to be careful. I can't kill him if he is already dead, now can I?" She turned to Harper once more. "I need your best benders. There is only a few months to whip them into shape. Katara, I will need your help. We have to teach them the one thing that you will not do. We have to teach them Bloodbending. It is the only way we can take them out efficiently."

Katara shook her head. "No, I will not teach anyone that."

"You are such a pacifist you know that? Fine, I will teach them that, if they want to learn, but you have to help me teach them everything else we know. Like pulling water from the air and that shit." She glared at the Fire Lady. "Does that work for you?"

"That I will do." Katara smiled at the middle ground.

"Fine, then let's get to work."

--

"They are heading to the great hall, stop them!"

Azula shook her head at the fools._ Do they really think they can stop us?_ She smiled as another wave of soldiers came around the corner. Arawn was too fast for them. Pulling air around them, he began to suck the breath from their lungs until they collapsed to their knees. She watched him pull the short sword from its scabbard and run the first man through.

Dead the moment the airbender made connection with the heart, the sword made a sucking sound as Arawn pulled the sword from his chest. Blood coated the once shiny surface, but he did not stop. The other men lay gasping for breath as the one man killing machine walked through them, leaving none alive. Some were decapitated. Their life's fluid pulsing from the severed neck as their heart tried to keep beating in a futile attempt to save its self. Others were merely ran through like the first fellow.

The airbender impressed the Princess. Not only was he a killing machine, but he took a pleasure in it. _No wonder him and Jelisa have not killed each other. They can kill someone else and enjoy it together. And here I thought I was the really messed up one._

After the small unit was dead, Arawn smiled at her. His clothes were wet with blood from his victims and his face had some on it, but it did not faze him. "Come on, Princess. I thought you enjoyed things like this. You want to play a game?" His smile was half crazed and completely sadistic. She felt a shiver run down her back. No one had ever made that happen.

"What type of game are we talking about here?" She tried to make her voice not shake, but it betrayed her a little.

He looked at the carnage at his feet. He grabbed the shirt of one of the guards and wiped the blade clean. "Jelisa and I played it years ago and she won. I call it 'Who's The Better Killer?'. It's quite entertaining. The object is to beat the other person's score. I will not include these guys. They were barely worth my effort."

Azula nodded. She would play his game. She would win and then rub it in his face. "Alright, Arawn, I will play your little game. We kill by any means, correct?"

"By any means." He walked to the end of the hall. "Come on, fresh meat await the butchers. We do not want to disappoint by not showing up, now would we?" He turned the corner with her on his heels.

Coming up to the main audience chamber, they smiled at each other. "On the count of three, you bust down the door with some air bending and I am going to start frying people."

Arawn placed his hand one her shoulder. "I like you. I can officially say that."

She rolled her eyes. "We will talk about being friends after this is over. Now, One, two, three!"

He blasted the wooden doors off their hinges and taking out a few men in their paths. Azula began to let lose a barrage of fire that killed any in her way. She then switched to lightning. The cold blooded killer, as Iroh once referred to it. The power was thrilling. Watching someone die with a smoking hole in their chest was a wonderful feeling. She almost felt like she did when she attacked the Avatar in Ba Sing Sei, just not as power mad. She did not want to take something over, she just wanted to kill few people. Knowing they were out to hurt her family, she would kill just for that and for the small pleasure it brought to her. I was kind of like getting a new toy. Many to new toys. Ones that were running around, shouting orders. So many new play things.

She shot one after one. They barely screamed as they fell to the cold floor. It was like there bodies. Cold, but with a little but of warm that was escaping rapidly. She smiled at the thought. "How are you doing over there, Airbender?" She yelled in his direction, but never let up on the men that were coming a her in waves.

"Not bad. I think I am up to thirty. What about yourself?" He swung the sword and cleaved the man from shoulder to navel, then pulling the kindjal and moving on to the next victim.

"I am three up on you. My bending is made to kill. Yours just knocks them back. You have killed most of them with that blade, haven't you?" She struck two more with lightning, then swung a huge wave of blue fire at a group of them. They dove for cover.

She heard him laugh. "You want me to switch weapons? I can kill twice as fast with the bow. With my bending added, the arrow will cut through two people with ease."

She dodged a boulder and struck the earthbender down . "By all means, remember? I will still win this thing."

He backed up to her. "I don't think so Princess."

She heard the sword cut the air and find it's home in another man's head. The sickening crunch of the steel meeting the bone was enough to turn Azula's stomach a bit. She would not be able to eat anything with a shell after this and not be reminded of the sound.

She kept fighting though. Queasy stomach and all. No way would she let an airbender upstage a Fire Nation Princess in a killing game. It was what she was bred for. What her father made her into, a killing machine. She would win this. She would not fail.

She was killing them, one by one a them came near. She could smell the blood and burnt flesh in the air. The sweet smell of death hung heavy as firebender and airbender cut down their enemies. They did not stop once. They would yell numbers over their shoulder. Her and Arawn were a great team.

Just then, something whizzed by her head. It stuck in the wall next to her head. _No, not here. Zuko should have ended that threat years ago, but he couldn't. It's have it in him. I would have, but I swore an oath to Jelisa that I wouldn't. Damn that oath. Now that oath was done. Let the games start again._

_--_

Sokka walked around and marveled at the new building in his home tribe. Pakku and his students outdid themselves every time, but he would never tell his step-grandfather that. The man had an ego problem to begin with. Being part of the White Lotus, and a master waterbender, the man was almost impossible to deal with. Almost being the key word. If Gran Gran was with him, he was a docile as a newborn penguin.

She had a tight rein on him, but never once did Sokka ever hear the old man complain. He could see Pakku was still, after sixty years, crazy over his grandmother. She was crazy over him as well. He smiled as he walked toward the main building in the Southern Water Tribe. His father was inside, talking about trade and other duties the chief was needed for.

Pulling back the skin that made up the door, Sokka nodded to Bato, his dad's hand man. "Sokka, it's good to see you." Bata greeted him with enthusiasm.

Hakoda turned and smiled at his son. "Sokka, what brings you down this way? I thought you said you wouldn't be back for at least another month."

"Hey Dad." Sokka sat down on the skins that covered the ice floor. "I know, but something has come up." He began to tell him dad about the resistance and how he was there to find anyone that was willing to fight.

"Hold on, Sokka. I think I need to get Pakku in on this one. The waterbenders down here are his charge." Hakoda stood up and walked quickly to find his step father.

Bato turned to the young warrior. "So, how did you get dragged into all of this? You just can't stay away from battle, can you?"

Sokka laughed. "You know, after ten years of wonderful peace. I am itching for a real battle. One where I can test my blade."

The older Water Tribe warrior just shook his head and laughed. "You and that blade. I am surprised your wife hasn't tried to run you through with it."

"Uh, yeah about that." Sokka rubbed the back of his neck. "Actually she has tried already." Bato just stared at him. "I learned a real important lesson that day. Never, ever tell your wife she can not see your sword and then tell her she can see it when she can take I from you."

Bato rolled his eyes. "You are your father's son. I remember your mother did something similar to that when Hakoda said that she could not touch him father's knife, and that knives were for men not women. Oh man, she was mad and pinned him to the side their house for the remainder of the day, with the knife. He never lived that one down."

Sokka laughed at the other man's story. His dad had said something about his mom's temper, but all he could remember was her smile and laugh. Just then, his dad walked in with the older Waterbending master.

"Okay Sokka, your dad has filled me in on what is going on. Now, who is in the North with our sister Tribe?" Pakku took a seat and looked at him.

"Katara, Zuko, Haru, and Jelisa are up there. Aang went to get help from the Air Nomads, Toph is in Ba Sing Sei, and Suki is gathering the Kyoshi warriors. Oh, and there is other news. Come to find out, Jelisa's name really isn't Jelisa. She has been hiding who she really is these past years. Pakku, you know her. Her name is Jennasa, and she is really a Princess." Sokka looked from his dad, to Bato, then to Pakku.

The old man shook his head. "I knew she looked familiar. I just could not place where I knew her from. So, Jennasa is back in the North. I wonder if she had killed her brother yet?"

**Chapter Eleven is finshed. My husband wrote most of the part with Azula and Arawn. I thought he would go more graphic, but oh well. Anyway, two things. One, can you guess the name of the movie where the game who's the better killer is out of and two, who is Azula and Arawn about to go up against? You will et major brownie points if you can name them. Wel, I am going to bed. It is nearly 3:30 in the morning where I am. (EST) See ya later! Oh, thank you to everyone that has reviewed. All of you are great! You all are my reason this has gotten to where it is now. Thank you from the bottom of my tired heart. **


	12. Chapter 12

**Just to let you know, this is kind of a filler chapter. I am hoping to have a good chapter up later today. I have been off work because I have been sick. Can't deliver pizzas if you are coughing and have no voice. It really sucks. **

Suki steadied herself as she exited the air ship with Ty Lee at her side. The trip back was not an easy one. The wind was harsh and kept blowing them off course. It took them a little longer to get back than it normally would, but she smiled as she felt the soil of her home under the soles of her shoes.

"It's so great to be back home, Suki. I have missed it here so much." Ty lee cart wheeled down the path to the village. The ex-acrobat had began calling Kyoshi Island home when she became a warrior there. She said it was the one place where she felt she truly belonged and didn't feel like a freak.

Suki smiled at her and walked behind her. "I know what you mean, Ty Lee. I have missed being here. Traveling between here, the South Pole, and the Fire Nation, I have missed my home. I don't think Sokka realizes how much we travel. I know he misses seeing his sister all the time and his father, but after this is all over, I am staying here for awhile. No buts." She looked at the statue of Kyoshi that graced the center of the small village.

Ty Lee stood up and looked back at Suki. "I know what you mean. You are always traveling. I grew bored with it when I was in the circus and then again when I went with Mai and Azula." She frowned at the name Mai. "I wish sometimes I had been there for her when she found out about Katara and Zuko. Then maybe she would not have snapped like she did."

The warrior leader hugged the normally bubbly woman. "You could never have known Mai would have done something like that. It was not in her nature, normally. I knew her after the war. I would not have thought she would have snapped as well. Things happen for a reason, you of all people should know that. If you had not stood up to Azula that day, you would not be here with us warriors now. The spirits work in mysterious ways."

Ty Lee smiled brightly. "You know, you are right. Things do happen and I am glad it did. If I had stayed with Azula, I would still be in prison as well, for being a traitor to the Fire Nation." She turned her large dove gray eyes on her leader. "Thank you Suki."

Suki smiled just as brightly. "No problem. Now, let's get everyone rounded up. We have some extensive training we need to work on before this upcoming fight. I need everyone in peak shape."

_--_

"Welcome Avatar." One of the female airbenders smiled as she bowed formally to Aang. He bowed back with a small smile.

"Where is Yan Chi? I really need to talk to her." Aang looked around the newly renovated temple.

"She is in the garden meditating. She will be glad to see you." The younger woman stepped aside so Aang could pass.

He thanked her and walked to the garden. Since the Air Nomads had come out of hiding five years ago, others had found their way to the long forgotten temples. Their numbers began to flourish and thrive. Almost every child born in the temples could bend, even the babies. It was a wonderful feeling to walk among his people.

He watched the youth play with the air scooters or another game. Learning the ancient bending arts was every child's dream here. He had showed them many techniques that had been lost to the rages of time. He was indeed a living relique and loved the job. There was so much that he was teaching them, and there was new techniques that they were teaching him.

He smiled as he walked along the restored path to the wonderful gardens everyone had helped plant, even Jelisa with the proper motivation.

"_Come on J, you should really be helping. This a lot of fun." Katara smiled at the moody waterbender as she sat on the rock and looked out at the sky. _

_Jelisa turned her head and looked at the other waterbender. "I don't think so. Rolling around in the mud and dirt is Toph's thing, not mine. Besides, I am just here for a lookout, nothing more." She turned her back on the gang once more._

_Aang shook his head and turned to the other airbender, Arawn, Jelisa's boyfriend. "You know, she responds better to you than any of us."_

_The red-headed airbender smiled as he placed the panda lily plant into it's new home. "Yeah, but I am not getting in the middle of this. I prefer to be on her good side. Makes my life a lot less dangerous and makes my nights a whole lot warmer." _

"_Sneaky, that is a mental image I could have gone my entire life never seeing. Thank you! You and Ice Queen… gross." Toph stuck her tongue out at the older man. _

_Arawn smacked his hand on the ground with the middle finger being the only one up. "I know you saw that, Shorty. Don't say you didn't. I know how your sight works." He grinned in her general direction._

"_Yeah, fuck off. I caught it. I should have never told you about how it works." With that, she shot him a few feet into the air and right into the brooding waterbender. _

"_TOPH!"_

_The Earthbending master just smiled and leaned back. "Yes, oh miss cranky one?"_

"_I am going to kill you. You are still on my hit list. I am just trying to figure out if it is going to be slow and painful, or fast and painful. Either way, you will die." Jelisa pushed the surprised ninja off of her and began to stalk close to the metal bender. _

_Toph let her words roll off her shoulder. "Kinky, but not my thing. You can think whatever you like, but I will know you are there before you get into killing range of me." She kept right on smiling. _

"_Toph Bei Fong, I am not going to kill you yet, just maim, slice, and have you wishing for death. Then I will delay it a few more days." Jelisa began to pull water out of her water pouch. _

_The group looked from one bender to the next, waiting to see where the battle was heading. Arawn walked up behind Jelisa and put his arms around her. "Come on J, I want to talk to you." He walked her toward the temple itself._

"_Yeah, we won't see them for a little bit." Toph went back to forming small holes in the earth for the plants._

_True to Toph's words, Arawn and Jelisa returned a hour later. The airbender had a swollen bottom lip, but the waterbender was walking with a limp, favoring her right leg. They were both smiling like hyenas. The gang looked at them, shaking their heads. _

"_You two can never just talk out your differences, can you?" Sokka sipped on the cool water that was in his water skin. "One of these days, you two are going to kill each other."_

_Jelisa sat down at one of the empty holes and grabbed a plant. "Oh, there was plenty of talking going on. Just not the type you want to hear." She smiled at the warrior._

_Sokka's eyes grew round as her words sunk in. "You are on sick puppy, Jelisa."_

"_I know." The whole gang began to laugh at him. _

Aang smiled at the memory. It took him and Toph two days to stabilize the southern wing. They always fought with each other, then made up in a big way. That was the way those two were. Unfortunately, they were like half of the same whole. Neither one complete without the other.

He found the person he was looking for sitting among the flowers and trees. "Ah, what do I owe the honor, Aang?"

Yan Chi turned and smiled at him. She patted the ground next to her. He joined her and looked out at the other airbenders. "I need your help."

"Well, why didn't you just say so in the first place. I am always wiling to help you in any way I can." She brushed her fingers across the panda lily's petals. "But first, has my son and daughter in law been staying out of trouble? I know how those two get."

Aang nodded. "I know what you mean. Well, Jelisa is up north and Arawn is somewhere. We are not for certain where he is. There is a resistance that is threatening to throw everything out of balance again. They took your son and the children."

Yan Chi jumped to her feet. "Come, I will round up the warriors. This resistance will pay for messing with my only child." She looked down at the Avatar. A dangerous glint was in her gray eyes. _So, that is where Arawn gets it from._

He stood up and followed her into the temple. She yelled at everyone she came across to assemble in the courtyard and to spread the word. They had one hour to gather or face her wrath. Most of them ran to find others and some were glued to the spot by her words. No one messed with Yan Chi when she was mad, no one.

--

"Arawn, we have to get out of here, NOW!" The ex Fire Nation Princess yelled. She dodged another chunk of rock and a few daggers. Blood trickled down her cheek from where she was just not fast enough to dodged the dart and it grazed her cheek.

She spared a glance at the airbender. He was firing arrows left and right. The beloved sword of his lay broken at his feet, snapped in half as he tried to block a rock his chest. He was nearly out of arrows and sweating from the beating his body was taking. He kept going though.

She fired another volley of fire blasts, then took off towards Arawn. She grabbed his arm. "Let's move it. Mai is here."

He fired off one more arrow and nodded. "Okay, we need to get to Ba Sing Sei and inform them what is going on." He blasted everyone out of his way and cleared the path for their escape.

Running like the hounds of hell were on their heels. Tearing around the corners, they headed for the exits. Wasting no time, Arawn blasted anyone that dared get in their way. Azula fired lightning at them as well, taking out a few. They followed the corridors toward the way they had come. Light flooded the halls as they saw blue skies.

They dove out of the door as the wall slammed down a second after they landed. They looked at each other. Both had blood coating every section of their bodies. "You know, we need to move. They will not wait long before they come after us. We have to make it to the Great Wall." Arawn rolled over onto his knees and began to cough violently.

Azula watched in horror as the airbender began to cough up large amounts of blood. He stopped for a moment. He turned his pale face to her. "I think I have a problem." He then fell.

She dropped to his side and checked for a pulse. It was there, but it was weak and slow. She had to get him to a healer or he would not survive. She pulled him onto her lap and struggled to get the unconscious man's arm around her neck. She struggled to her feet, pulling him up with her. He normally towered over her by a foot, so trying to drag him was hard.

His breathing was shallow and blood trickled out of his mouth. He was not in good shape. She thought back on the small battle they we just in. Then it hit her. The rock he tried to block, the one that broke his kindjal. It must have crashed into him and done internal damage, possibly breaking a rib. The rib, in turn, must have punctured his lung. That would explain the blood and the shallow breathing.

Dragging the battered airbender was a chore. She felt her strength wane with every step she took. The wall was insight. Azula knew that was his only chance. She had to get him there. She would not fail. If she did, she knew there would be no stopping the airbender's wife from killing everyone in her path.

Azula finally saw a guard. Laying Arawn down carefully, she ran with what strength she had left. "Hey! I need help!"

The guard turned around and watched her run up to him. "My friend. He needs help. We were attacked. He is hurt badly."

The man grabbed Azula before she hit the ground. The energy spent, she collapsed into his arms. "Where is he?"

She pointed to the ground a few dozen footsteps away. The guard sat her on the ground and ran over to Arawn . He picked up the other man on a slab of earth and manipulated it to follow him. He then sat Azula on it, next to the beaten airbender. "What happened?"

"We were taken by the resistance. My friend and I tried to escape and he took a boulder to the chest. I think a rib punctured his lung. He began to cough up blood, the collapsed. I have to get him to the palace. We have friends there." Azula looked at Arawn. He was growing paler by the second.

The guard nodded. "What are your names?"

Thinking quickly, she gave the only name that she could think of that would not get her into trouble. "I am Ursa, and this is Arawn. His wife is Princess Jennasa of the Northern Water Tribe. She also goes by Jelisa, the master waterbender and protector of the Fire Nation Royal Family."

The man nearly choked. "Oh shit. I know Jelisa. She is the head of the assassins guild. My brother has told me stories about her. Not the friendliest person."

"Nope, that she is not. We are friends with Toph Bei Fong, the Avatar, Fire Lord Zuko, Lady Katara, and the lot. I have to get him to them now."

"I will personally get you there. Hold on." He jumped on the slab, opened a hole in the Great Wall, and proceeded to go as fast has his Earthbending would allow.

**Okay, I know it has been awhile since I have updated this story. I am sorry. I was stuck . Well, Suki and Ty Lee are back on Kyoshi, Aang has began to gather the Airbenders, Yan Chi is Arawn's mommy, and he just got his ass beat. Azula has saved him. Things are beginning to fall into place for the final battle. Mia has returned, but who broke her out? That will be revealed soon. Next chapter Arawn and Jelisa are reunited, Zuko and Katara are reunited with their children, and hell breaks loose in the Fire Nation. Stay tuned. See ya!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Sorry I didn't get this uploaded til now. The site would not let me. Anyway, here is the chapter I said I would have for you guys.**

"General Bei Fong, I know you told everyone that you were not to be disturbed." The guard bowed before the blind earthbender.

Toph turned her sightless eyes onto him. "Then why are you?" She glared at the man.

"There is someone here that says it is most urgent that she speak with you. It's a young woman that calls herself Ursa." He bowed again.

The woman that walked in was not the old Fire Lady Ursa, but her daughter. "You may go now." She waved the guard away and slammed the door behind Azula. "Okay, what happened? From the way your heart is beating, something went really wrong."

Azula took a deep breath. "Arawn was hurt, bad. I have to get him to the North Pole, but I can not do it alone. He will die if we do not get him there soon." She stepped closer to Toph. "I know we have had our big differences in the past, but you have to help save him."

Toph knew she could not tell if Azula was lying or not. She had found that out on Day of Black Sun. "Honey, big differences doesn't even begin to cover what happened between us. I know Sugar Queen and Sparky are okay with you, and Jelisa has an understanding with you, but I am not the most forgiving person. Call it my element. I am stubborn like the earth I bend. I will help you get Sneaky to his wife, but this does not make us friends." She pointed at Azula to emphases her words.

The firebender took a step back from the earthbender. "I never said we had to be friends. I just have to help him. Besides, I need to get to the north anyway. I have to find someone there."

Toph stopped. The ex-princess' heart rate picked up. The earthbender snickered. "So, just who do you have to find? From the feel of your heartbeat now, I would say it was a crush."

Azula glared at the blind earthbender, but shook her head when she remembered no sight, no seeing the glare. "I thought we weren't friends."

Toph just continued to smile. "Just because I do not think of you as a friend, does not mean I can not pick on you. It is my right to pick on anyone that I deem worthy, and you Princess, has given me prime rights to pick on you."

The firebender rolled her eyes. "Whatever, now, we have to figure out a way to get Arawn to the North fast."

Toph walked toward the table in room and pulled a cord that was near the wall. "I will have the airship prepped and we can be underway in an hour. Your brother was kind enough to give it to me on loan. I have to get around somehow when Aang is away."

A servant walked in and bowed. "What can I do for you, my lady?"

"Have the captain prep the airship. I want to be underway in a hour." Toph began to pack her belongings. "And tell the children to come here."

The servant bowed to the General and backed out of the room. Azula turned to Toph. "So they made it here? Arawn said he got them out."

"Yeah, they showed up here yesterday. I sent a message to Zuko and Katara. They should have it within the day, unless the hawk gets lost in the vast waste up there. It's happened before." She placed her clothes in her traveling bag. "Oh, by the way. You might want to raid Katara's clothes that are here. You smell like blood and dirt. Dirt I don't mind, but the blood might freak a few people out. Her rooms are two doors down. I think there are some Fire Nation clothes in there, but you might want to wear her Water Tribe clothing. We are going up North. I assume you do not want anyone to know who you really are, considering you gave your mother's name. You might want to think of a better name. I don't want to have to choose for you." She smiled at the Fire Nation woman.

"Whatever." Azula waved her hand and walked out of the room.

Toph watched her through her Earthbending as she headed to Katara's room.

Two Days Later

Jelisa walked around the city, looking in the small shops. It had been many years since she had done it. It was one of the only things she missed about the place. She walked around for a few hours until she came to the coast. Water lapped the ice. The sound of the wave was calming. She smiled as she began to go through her different katas.

The water moved with her directing. It flowed around her and she streamed it into many forms. It felt good to bend the water of her home. The water here had a different feel to it that the waters of the Earth Kingdom or the Fire Nation. Here, it was pure, unpolluted. Blessed by the ocean spirit itself, the water was sweet and cold.

She streamed the water back into the vast body and started back toward the palace. The sun began it's decent into the horizon, and Yue could be seen slightly in the sky. "Good to see you, old friend." She greeted the old princess with a bow.

She looked at the horizon again and something caught her eye. It was small, but grew rapidly. An airship. She broke into a dead run to the large area outside of the city. Harper had the area made for the airships landing. It was easier for them to bring supplies to the frozen city than the warships.

She stood there waiting for the airship to make its final descent. Hoping for news on the children and her husband, she stood patiently as they touched down.

"It's too cold here." She heard the distinct voice of the master earthbender.

"Quit your belly aching and get out here, Toph." Jelisa called from the entrance.

Just then, she was tackled by three warm bodies, two warmer than the other. "Aunt Jelisa!"

The Water Tribe Princess laughed as the children rained hugs on her. "Malaya! Matthias! Marcus! You're alright! I am so sorry I left you." She hugged the three children back as she felt tears run down her cheeks.

"It's okay, Aunt Jelisa, Uncle Arawn got us out and got us back to my mom. The nice firebender helped too. She brought Uncle Arawn back when he got hurt." Marcus stood up. Malaya and Matthias did the same.

"Arawn got hurt?" She looked at the children. Dread filled her soul. "How bad is he?"

Malaya pushed the snow around with her boot. "He is sleeping, but he won't wake up. Aunt Toph told us to leave him alone until we got here to you and Mom."

Matthias looked at his sister. "Aunt Toph told us to not tell her that. She would be sad." He looked at Jelisa. "Are you sad, Aunt Jelisa?"

She couldn't form words. The one man she loved more than life itself, had been hurt, and from the way the children were looking, bad. She swallowed the lump in her throat. "Where is he?"

"Mom and the other woman are getting him." Marcus walked up an hugged Jelisa's leg. "You're here now. You'll make him better, right?"

"I can't, but I hope Katara can." She rubbed the boy's head.

She looked at the entrance of the airship as Azula appeared, wearing a blue Water Tribe parka. She was frowning and frowned harder when she saw Jelisa. "I didn't expect to see you here." The firebender walked down the ramp toward her.

Jelisa grabbed Azula by the collar of the parka and shook her. "What happened to my husband? Do not spare any detail or I swear, you will wish I left you in prison all those years ago." Her voice was like the ice she was standing on, cold and unyielding.

Azula pushed her back. "Not with the children here. I will tell you, I swear it, but your first concern should be to Arawn. Be lucky he is still alive. I had to shock him three times on the way here to keep his heart going. He is on the brink of death, Jelisa. Save your anger for the fight to come." She glared at her.

"I agree with Azula. Save it." Toph emerged from the airship, followed by two men carrying a stretcher. Arawn lay on it, pale as death.

Jelisa felt hot tears pour from her eyes. Her life lay as still as death, and she could not heal him. His only hope was Katara. She walked ahead of the group, head down. Tears steamed down her face as she lead them to the palace.

--

Katara sat with her husband in the dining hall. They were going over some documents that Zuko's advisers had sent him. She handed the one she just finished to Zuko, who signed his name to the bottom. "Your work is never done, is it?" She kissed his scarred cheek and began to read another one.

"My Lord and Lady, your presence has been requested in the main chamber. The Chief and Princess are waiting for you with some guests." The man bowed before the Fire Nation royalty.

"Thank you." Zuko stood up and offered his hand to his wife. She smiled as she took his warm hand.

"I wonder what they want? It must be important if they as sending someone after us." Katara walked next to Zuko as they headed to the throne room. "Usually Jelisa would have just barged in and told us to get a move on. Sometimes I think she likes being a princess. She can boss more people around, and get away with it."

Zuko laughed. "You know, I think you are right. She has been taking advantage of it."

They shared a laugh, but the laughter died as soon as they walked into the throne room. Jelisa sat in the middle of the room with Harper holding her as she cried. Arawn was laying under blankets, looking like death was on his shoulder.

Jelisa looked up, eyes red and swollen. "Katara, please, please save him."

Katara ran over to the airbender's side and pulled back the blankets. His chest was a multitude of different hues. Black, blue, purple, and red bruises covered him. She quickly bent some water into her hands. It glowed blue as she placed it upon his chest.

She felt the damage. His right lung had been punctured by the broken rib. She poured her energy onto healing the damage. It was so severe, she did not know how he survived the trip to them. His breathing was labored and there was blood pooling into his good lung. She reset the rib and healed the hole. She let the water fall from her hands and bended the blood out of his lung. The crimson fluid flowed from him mouth and she flung it on the floor.

"Jelisa, I have done all I can. The rest is up to him. The damage is healed, but he has lost a lot of blood." Katara looked at her fellow waterbender.

Jelisa just nodded and stood up. She nodded to the servants and they walked over and picked up the stretcher. Jelisa followed them out. Harper turned to Katara and Zuko. "Thank you. Do you think he will make it?"

Katara shook her head. "I don't know. The damage was severe, I know him. His will is strong. He may, but I fear if he doesn't, Jelisa will not either. The one can not survive without the other."

Harper shook his head. "I know. She truly loves him Has for a long time. If he does not make it, I know Jennasa will follow him to the spirit world. She has survived too much to lose him now." He looked at the Fire Lord and Lady. "I now need you to follow me. I have something to show you in the Spirit Oasis."

Zuko and Katara looked at each other, then shrugged. The followed the chief to the small round door that lead to the Oasis. He smiled as he blocked the door. "There are a few people waiting for you in here. They have traveled a good distance to be here with you." He pushed the door open and they all walked through.

"Mom! Dad!" Two children rushed the adults as they made their way into the Oasis. Katara began to cry as she gathered her daughter up in her arms.

"Malaya! Oh my goodness! I can not believe you are here and safe. I have to be dreaming." Katara hugged her daughter tightly.

"Mommy, you're not dreaming. We are here. Aunt Toph brought Uncle Arawn here for you to heal him. Did you heal him? Will he be okay?" Malaya looked into her mother's cerulean eyes.

"Oh baby, your uncle is resting now. We will need time to get better." She smiled at her husband and son. They were hugging as well.

Malaya wiggled out of her mother's arms. "Uncle Arawn got us away from the bad men, but he needed help. A nice female firebender helped him." She walked over to Azula and took her by the hand. "She helped us, then brought Uncle back when he was hurt."

Zuko smiled at his sister. "So, you didn't tell them, did you sis?"

Matthias looked from his dad to the woman. "Daddy, do you know her?"

Zuko laughed. "Yeah, I know her. Matthias, Malaya, this is your Aunt Azula. She is my sister."

Malaya looked up at Azula, eyes wide and shining. "You're a princess like me?"

Azula looked down at the young princess. "Something like that, Malaya." She then looked at her brother. "I have news for you, but we can talk about that later. You need to spend time with your children. When they go to sleep, we will talk."

Zuko nodded and looked at Katara. "Where is Haru?"

--

Arawn felt himself swimming in a sea of darkness. Here he did not feel anything. No pain, no sorrow, nothing. He would have stayed there forever, but a sound caught his ear. A woman sobbing. The cries were familiar, but he could not place them. His mind was fuzzy, so the memories would not come.

He closed his eyes and smiled. He was calm and happy, but something was missing. Someone wasn't there with him. Jelisa.

His eyes flew open. The sobs. They were Jelisa's. He remembered them from when she thought no one could hear her, she would cry. Cry for everything she had lost. He knew he could not stay in the calming water forever. He began to swim towards the surface of his mind.

There was two things he could recall when he made it to the surface. One, it was damn cold, and two, the light was bright. He shut his eyes tighter, and tried to pull the blankets up, but his arms would not work. He cracked open his eyes and saw Jelisa laying next to him. She was asleep, but her brow was furrowed. She was troubled. He licked his dry lips. There was a slight coppery taste in his mouth, but he didn't think on it too hard.

"J." His voice cracked when he called to her.

Jelisa opened her eyes and stared into a pair of dove gray eyes. "Arawn?"

He smiled. "Hey." He licked his lips again.

She sat up and grinned down at him. Tears ran down her face. "I thought you would never wake up. I thought I lost you." She leaned down and hugged him gently.

He closed his eyes and soaked up her warm embrace. "You can't get rid of me that easily. I haven't made your life miserable yet."

She sat back up and laughed. "Then I guess I am stuck with you for the long haul. You could never make my life miserable."

He pulled his arm out from under the blankets. They finally worked for him as he placed a cupped hand on his wife's cheek. "I am glad for that, J, I truly am." He grabbed her arm, and using what little strength he had left, pulled her down next to him. "Stay with me."

She snuggled up next to his larger frame. "I'm not going anywhere."

**Alright, I had to put something fluffy in there. Don't have much fluff in the story. The really ass kicking parts are coming up. I promise you that. Let me know what you think. I haven't had many reviews on the story. See ya!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey, sorry about the long pause in the updates. The charger to my laptop decided it wanted to quit working. I have a spare, but my mom has it in her storage unit and well, let's just say my mother is not the most graceful person. She broke her foot showing one of her kids (she teaches special needs children) how to jump rope. Yes, my mom broke her foot jumping rope. I had a good laugh. Anway, I got my charger to work enough to give me a half battery. I thought I woud get this chapter uploaded before it croaked again. See ya!**

"IROH!" Ursa yelled her ex brother-in-law's name as she entered the throne room.

The man in question lifted his head from the documents that sat in front of him. He looked at her with simple curiosity. "Ursa, I see you are felling better."

She stopped in front of him and crossed her arms underneath her chest. "Oh, I am doing just peachy. Any word from my son?"

Iroh smiled at her. "Yes. A messenger hawk showed up this morning. Everyone is in the Northern Water Tribe, except the Avatar. He is still with the Air Nomads. The children have been returned to them, with the help of your daughter and Arawn." He doused the flames that ran in front of the Dragon Throne and walked down the stairs to join her.

Ursa looked at him, her temper getting the best of her. "It is half past mid-day and you are just now telling me this? I should throttle you, Iroh." She glared at the older man.

He sighed and placed his hand on her arm, which she pushed away. "Ursa, you should not get yourself worked up. The children are fine, Zuko is fine and so is everyone else. You should calm down and join me for some nice tea." He smiled and walked for the door.

Throwing her hands in the air in disgust, she followed Iroh. "I believe that is your answer for everything is tea. If someone argues, tea will calm them down. If someone is sad, tea will cheer them up. You, my brother, have an unhealthy obsession with the stuff."

He shook his head and continued on to the smaller dining room. Sitting at the table, the servants brought in a pot of ginseng tea and some small sandwiches. "Come, join me for a light snack." He gestured to the small spread.

She sat down in a huff, extremely undignified for a lady, but she did not care. Iroh was hiding thing from her and she wanted to know what it was. "Spill it Iroh. I know you are hiding things. You have always been good at that. What is going on?"

Sighing, Iroh poured his tea and some for Ursa. "What makes you think I am keeping things from you?"

Shaking her head, she looked down at the tea. "I know you too well. You kept my place of hiding for many years. If Azula and Mai had not come, I don't think you would have ever told Zuko where I was. I know I told you not to tell anyone, but you could have told him once he became Fire Lord."

Iroh chuckled. "I think I did you a service. If I have told him straight away, he probably would have married Mai and then you would be stuck with her."

She shuddered at the memories of the girl. "Okay, I will give you that. Still, I know you are the master at keeping things. Tell me Iroh, or my Agni, I will rip it from you." She glared at him.

"Ursa, now I understand where Zuko gets his suspious nature from." He sipped his tea and placed one of the sandwiches on his plate.

"Being married to Ozai for as long as I was kind of does that to someone and having him as a father did that to Zuko. Now, quit delaying it and tell me." She sat the cup down and crossed her arms again.

"Fine. Arawn was hurt when he and Azula stayed to kill the leader of the resistance faction Jelisa and Azula joined. They took him to the North to be healed. Katara is a master healer and in her element. I did not tell you because I know you think of him as a son." Iroh looked over at her.

Ursa face fell. She did think of Arawn as one of her own. Him and Jelisa. Then it hit her. "Whoa, wait! What is Jelisa doing in the North? I thought she was banished."

Iroh laughed. "Another secret I kept from you. You see, Jelisa is really Jennasa, Princess of the Water Tribe. You now have two sons that are princes."

Ursa began to see red. She stood up abruptly. "And, pray tell, when were you going to tell me all of this and how long did you know about it?"

He watched her. "For a time. I do have friends that are in the North. I wanted to confirm Jelisa's story about being from the North and being banished. They told me that there had only been one person banished like the way I described and that was the daughter of the man that would take Arnook's place. I put two and two together, and confronted the assassin one day. With the facts laid out in front of her, she told me the truth. She even knew that her brother, Harper had taken the role as chief. That would make her princess. She swore me to secrecy and if I told anyone, she would let the hits go through on me." He sipped his tea again. "I am a smart man, and I saw the wisdom in her words. I value my life and I know she was serious. Do not burn the hand that protects you. She would have let them kill me."

Ursa let the knowledge sink in. Jelisa was not Jelisa, but Jennasa, a princess and her Arawn, was now a prince. Yan Chi probably got a chuckle out of it. Arawn was not known for his manners nor was he known for his poise. He was graceful, but he had a mouth. She shook her head and chuckled. "Now I know I have been out of the loop for too long. I can't believe this. I am going to throttle that girl when I get up there."

Iroh spit out the tea that he had just gotten into his mouth. "You are heading where?"

"North. I will not sit here and watch my children go off to war again. You forget, I am the one that taught Zuko the duel broadswords. I am the one that killed Azulon with poison. I am the one that was able to hide from Ozai for many years. I will go and help them anyway they need. I am a warrior before anything, and you know that. All Fire Nation women are. We are warriors of the home." She stared down the Dragon of the West. "I am gong to the Northern Water Tribe to be with my children and grandchildren." She turned on her heels and walked out of the room, munching on one of the sandwiches that were on the table. To hell with manners.

--

Azula stood on one of the balconies that overlooked the city. The wind was bitter cold, but it helped clear her head. She was in the north, and everyone was back together, except she had no seen Haru since she had arrived a few days ago. He had been busy trying to ferret out the resistance fighters in the city. Most had fled when they heard what her and Arawn had done. She had see him from afar. It was amazing how fast she had fallen for him.

She watched the sun set in the western sky. The dark months were fast approaching. The sun dipped lower into the sky. She had never been here near the dark months and saw the Northern lights. Jelisa had told her about them. She said that they were one of the beautiful things about the North.

Sighing, she turned her back on the setting sun and walked back in. Pulling the hood of the parka up higher around her face, she exited the room. Looking for anyone, she passed many servants and maids. They bowed to her and walked past. She paid them no mind and continued on her way. She passed many open doors as well.

She saw her brother with Katara and their children, Toph with her son, Jelisa taking care of a bed ridden Arawn, and Harper with his wife and child. They were all happy, all except her. She shook her head and walked on. Not really having a destination, she walked out the front doors and door the stairs.

Heading to the sea, she watched the sky grow darker. Just then,, she saw them. The lights Jelisa told her about. She watched them, fascinated. Reds, blues, greens, yellows, danced across the sky. It was like the colors of the elements melded into one cosmic event that was wonderful to watch. She was so into the lights, that she did not hear someone approach her.

"Beautiful, aren't they?"

She spun around to see Haru standing next to her, looking up at the sky. A small smile formed on her lips. "Yeah, I have never seen anything like it."

He smiled at her. "I was wondering when you would come here. I thought you would have gotten away from there before now."

Azula shook her head. "I couldn't leave them there. I owed my brother that much. He didn't send me back to prison when he found out where I was. I am actually grateful for that. I actually like being a bounty hunter. The thrill of the chase and the capture is exhilarating. It reminds me of the summer I tracked down the Avatar. I liked being out of the palace."

Haru nodded, knowing what that was like. "I know what you mean. I love traveling. I am probably nowhere near as good as you at tracking, but I enjoy just being with my element." He looked back to the sky. "Besides, Toph as been teaching be here and there to see through my bending. That is really cool."

"Toph is something else." She reached over and took his gloved hand. He smiled at her and turned his eyes back to the sky. She did the same. They stood there in silence, enjoying the other's company and watching the lights.

--

Harper sipped the tea that was in front of him. He looked over the report that his men had brought him. He sent out the word that he needed every available warrior. The report contained that there was over a thousand men that could go. Only about three hundred of them were benders, but it would do.

"Do you ever get out of this room?"

He looked up from the parchment and looked at his sister leaning against the doorframe. She was dressed a in black with her long hair tied back from her face. "I thought you would be with Arawn. What are you doing here bugging me?"

She walked into the room, black cloak billowing around her. "He's asleep, and besides, I had business to attend to. Unlike all of you rulers, I can not take a day off. My men would get a little happy to go on a free for all and take your asses out. I have to be there to stop them."

Harper eyed her. "So, there are a bunch of assassins running around my city, among my people?"

She grinned. "They will be on their best behavior. I told them if someone dies and it is not natural causes, I would be their personal death angel."

He shook his head and began to read again. "What did you need?"

"I want to say I'm sorry. I should have never tried o kill you when I first got here. I let my hurt feelings get the best of me at times. I'm sorry." She hung her head.

Nearly choking on the tea he just drank, he looked at Jelisa. "What did you say?"

Her face turned red and she glared at him. "You heard me. I know I did not stutter. If you did not hear me the first time, I will not repeat it. It is not every day that I say I am sorry. Do not expect it again." Water began to gather around her hand.

He held up his hands. "Sorry. I just was not expecting that from you of all people. You were never one to apologize for anything." He laid the scroll down and stood up. "I should tell you the same. Many years have passed since what happened. I should not have followed Dad's orders, but I did. Do you accept my apology?"

She nodded and walked over to him. "Now that is out of our system, how many water benders do you have for me?"

"For you? You have your hoard of assassins at our disposal. Why would you need my waterbenders?" He looked at her and shook his head.

She smiled and took his tea. "Okay brother, you can pay them to fight for you. I don't have that kind of coinage, and many of my men are not cheap." She downed the contents of the cup.

Harper frowned as he looked at the cup. "If you wanted some I would have poured you a cup."

"That's okay, taking yours is more fun. Lighten up, Harper. You are too serious at times." She sat down and looked up at him.

Sighing, he sat back down and poured himself a new cup. "No, I am not paying your men to help us. Can't you appeal to their better nature. Get them to work for free this one time?"

She laughed at him. A good, hard, solid laugh. A tear escaped her eye. "That's a good one. An assassin with a better nature. Most of these guys are seasoned pros with many years and many kills under their belts. They do not have a better nature. They think of three things, sex, money and blood. They would settle with money and blood, but they are human after all."

"Whatever, but I am not putting three hundred benders under you. You would probably get them to join your merry band of killers." He sipped the warm liquid.

Just then, the cup shattered in his hand. The hot tea floated in the air in front of his face. Jelisa pulled more liquid from around the room. "Let's get one thing straight, Harper. I am an assassin. We do not kill for free. We get paid for our services. I would not, and I repeat, would not have anyone join unless they know what they are getting into. You make a crack on my profession again, and there are many ways to torture someone without killing them." She formed many ice shards and placed them within inches of his face. "Do I make myself clear?"

He gulped and nodded. "Perfectly."

She let the water fall and soak him. "Good." She turned and began to walk out of the room. She stopped and smiled. "Besides, I am invoking my privilege as Princess. The waterbenders are mine. You said it yourself, while I am here, I am the Princess of the Northern Water Tribe. It's time I started taking an active role in my duties." With that, she walked out of the room, back cloak and all.

"Why did I have to open my big mouth?"

**Poor Harper! He he, I had to put an interaction between the two where there was no fist fights or crying. Hopefully I will be able to get to my mom's storage unit today and find my charger. My computer is about to die again. **


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey guys, sorry about the wait! I have had this chapter done now for a two months, the charger broke on my laptop. My mom never found my spare one and so I had to save up to buy a new on. It sucked. Anyway, I am back and ready to roll. I am completely over m writer's block and thrilled to be writing again. **

The strong artic winds picked up as Aang and his passengers made their way to the Northern Water Tribe. Appa roared as the cold cut through his thick fur. Aang patted the side of the bison's head. "Come on buddy. We are almost there. When we get there I'm sure I can find you a great treat."

The great bison rumbled low in his throat, and put a little bit more speed into his flight. Aang sparred a glace back at his passengers. Yan Chi sat at the back of the saddle, eyes closed, but from the way she sat, Aang knew the older airbender was not asleep. Suki and Sokka sat near the side, huddled together for warmth. Ty Lee was sitting next to the most surprising passenger, Lady Ursa. She had caught a boat to Kyoshi, and planned on continuing to the North when she spied Appa touching down on the outskirts of the small town. She had asked for a ride and Aang had agreed.

Appa shuttered again from the cold. It was unbearable. Aang had spend a few months up here when he was being trained in the beginning of his Waterbending, but he never remembered it being this cold. The wind kicked up and he mentally cursed his element.

"Aang, do you know how much longer it may be? Everyone back here is freezing. Well, everyone except Lady Ursa." Sokka crawled toward Appa's head.

Aang looked straight ahead. He saw what he was looking for. The Great Wall of the Northern Water Tribe. "We are here."

Appa rushed forward with speed even Aang himself did not know the bison possessed. They flew over the wall at a breakneck speed. Appa did not let up until they nearly ran into the palace itself. He touched down in the warmest place in the North, the spirit oasis.

All the passengers slid down the side of the great bison. Aang patted his head. "You did great, buddy. But did you have to land here? The spirits may be a little mad at you." Appa turned and licked the Avatar from head to toe. "Sometimes I wish you would not do that."

He shook the drool off himself and turned to everyone. "Well, I think this is where we get off and let Appa rest."

Yan Chi looked over at Aang. "Now all I have to do is find my son. I have missed him so."

"You don't have to wait long Mother."

The group turned around to see Arawn standing there, being supported by a smiling Jelisa. "Welcome to the North, guys. Sorry it is under such circumstances. We really need to quit meeting like this." She turned to Yan Chi. "Hello to you too, Yan Chi."

"Jelisa, what have you done to my son now?" She walked to Arawn's side. "Since you two have gotten together, there is barely a time I have no seen you beaten up."

Jelisa smirked at the older airbender. "This time I did not do it. He found this trouble on his own."

Aang walked over to them. "So, who all is here?"

Arawn was the first to speak. "Everyone is here, including your wife and son. They are waiting for you in the palace." He grimaced and grabbed his side. "I really think this is getting old."

Pulling water from the air, Jelisa formed a small healing glove and laid it in his side. "Better?"

He watched the older man relax and smile at his wife. "Much, thank you."

Sokka joined the small group. "I thought you couldn't heal?"

The waterbender looked at the Water Tribe warrior. "Your sister has been teaching me. I still have very minimal talent in the field, but I can relieve pain and bruises. That's about it. It has been coming in handy considering my other half here does not know what 'take it easy' means. He will not stay in a bed to save his life." She turned to her husband with a frown on her face.

The red headed airbender shrugged his shoulders. "Come on J, you were not complaining yesterday." He winked at the assassin. Her face turned a bright red and she looked away. "I didn't think so." He smirked.

Aang cleared his throat. "Okay, that is enough of that. No one here wanted to hear about your sparing sessions, and we know what happens in them. Let's go meet up with everyone else."

"Come on, everyone is in the throne room. We can get this meeting going and then a reunion." Jelisa turned and walked hand in hand with Arawn to the throne room while the others followed behind.

--

About a hour later, everyone was seated around the table. Jelisa pulled out a small knife and began to clean the small amount of dirt out of her fingernails. Arawn sat at her side, watching her. He sat like a silent sentinel.

"What?" She looked up at him. He was shaking his head at her. "Oh for the love of Tui and La, just spit it out, Arawn."

He chuckled. "You sit there, asking like you don't care what happens in the next few months, but I know you, J, I know you care what happens to these people."

She snorted and looked back at her nails. "Just because I married you does not mean you everything about me. I am a trained assassin. I can choose to feel. I am not like normal people. I do not let my emotions control my actions. You of all people should know that. This is war and people die in war. I will miss those who parish, but I will not cry for them."

He put his hand on her chin and pulled her eyes his direction. "Would you cry for me? I am going to fight, J, and I may not come back. I would miss you and most likely join you if you die. Would you do the same for me?"

Before she could answer him, Harper stood up. "Everyone knows why we are here. Our homes and our lives have been invaded by this resistance. We have yet to find out their leader, and they still have numbers on their sides. I have just recently come into this little group. Today we meet in secret. If the resistance caught wind that two nations leaders were meeting here, plus the Avatar, they would be here in a heartbeat." He turned to Zuko. "The floor is yours, Fire Lord."

Zuko stood up. "Here, among friends, I am just Zuko." He looked at Harper. "Anyway, we have to get things figured out, and here is the safest place. It is probably the only nation that has not been fully infiltrated by them. I know my palace has spies everywhere, because they were able to get my children, Aang and Toph's son, and Arawn at the same time. They know my every movement inside, but out here, they have no clue what is going on."

Jelisa nodded to him and he returned the gesture. "They have disrupted my family and tried to kill my friends." He looked at Arawn and his sister. "They must be dealt with."

Rahab stood up. "We have not found out where they are going to strike first. They must have an intended target. What or who is it?"

Jelisa shook her head. Not even standing up, she laughed. "You guys are dense. The answers have been in plain site the whole time." The group turned and looked at her.

Toph, huddled in her furs and fur lined boots, now completely blind, turned her ear to the assassin. "What in the world are you talking about?"

She laughed. "Oh come on. Think back when the resistance first made their appearance. They want the Fire Nation to crumble or reinstate Ozai to the throne. What they do not know is that he is powerless. He can not do anything. Zuko, correct me is I'm wrong, but if you are not a firebender and not of royal birth, you can not sit on the Dragon throne."

Everyone turned to Zuko for the answer. "That is right. Besides, the only two that could sit on that throne is myself or Azula."

Ursa looked from Jelisa to her son and daughter. "That is not entirely true. You see, I had another child between you and your sister. It was another girl. She could rule as well. Royal blood flows through her veins from my side of the family as well. She is not your father's child, but she is still royalty." She hung her head in shame.

The whole room looked at the ex-Fire Lady, except Jelisa. "Why are you waiting until now to tell us? We could have been looking for her. They could find out about her and try to kill her." Zuko looked at his mother in shock. Azula's mouth was hanging open.

"I have been searching for her for many years, and to no avail. I lost track of her movements about thirteen years ago. I hired Jelisa to hunt her down, but she herself could not find her." Ursa shook her head. "I do not think we will ever find her."

Jelisa cleared her throat. Everyone turned their attention to her. "Actually, I was never truthful to you. You see, when you told me that she had the same color eyes as you, Zuko, and Azula, I pulled on my memories. Growing up, I had a best friend in the Earth Kingdom named Annika. She and I would do everything together." She turned to her husband. "You know her too. She was the black haired girl that would torture you."

Arawn thought for a moment and snapped his fingers. "The firebender. I helped her find a teacher shortly after I took you to Foggy Swamp. Yeah, she helped me get you there. Jeong Jeong taught her. She was amazing. Extremely powerful and very talented. Never did find out how she ended up with an Earth Kingdom family when she was a firebender. Late bloomer if I remember right."

"Hold up. I know who you are taking about. Her family would come to my family's estate every summer. She was the one that first told me about the Earth Rumbles. When my father found out that we were taking, he told them that they could not come back. That was only two years before Aang showed up." Toph pulled the furs around her tighter. "I looked up to her like an older sister. I was mad that my dad sent them away. I know her parents live in Gaoling. You should be able to find her there, or information about her."

Ursa walked over and hugged the Blind Bandit, and then did the same thing to Jelisa and Arawn. "Thank you. I thought I would never find her. You three have put faith back into my heart." She turned to her other children. "I will tell you two the whole story one day, but let's find your sister first."

--

Sokka stood on the balcony overlooking the ocean. The moon was full, and it's light shined off of the water like a bright diamond. Yue was still watching them. Every night she would make her appearance. He would always love her, but Suki held his heart now.

"You know, if you go to the Spirit Oasis you might be able to see her. I know you want to." Suki walked out of their room. She wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his back. "I know you still miss her after all these years. Go and see if she will make an appearance."

He touched her hands that rested on his stomach. "I don't know Suki. It has been so many years since she came to see me. What makes you think she will show up now?"

"Because you need her. She still loves you, I know that. I got that from a very reliable source." He felt her laugh. "Besides, I know you still love her and I don't mind that. She was your first love and there is no love deeper than that. I know that is a fact, because you were my first true love and look at use now."

Pulling her around him, he kissed her. Suki always knew how to cheer him up. "Thank you, Suki. I will me back soon."

She smiled. "Take your time. You have many things to catch up on. I will see you in the morning." She let him go and walked back inside.

Grabbing his sword to show Yue, he walked down the corridor and to the small door that let to the Oasis. Taking a deep breath to steady his rapidly beating heart, he pulled open the door and walked through. Taking in the beauty of the lush grass and the crystalline waters of the large waterfall that came from the clear and clean glacier water.

The pond near the waterfall held the two koi fish, Tui and La. La was now Yue. Both in eternal dance. Circling each other and keeping balance with the ocean and the moon. He walked across the white bridge and knelt next to the pond. "Hello Yue."

"Hello Sokka." He felt a hand touch his shoulder.

Turning his head, he saw her standing there in all her glory. "I didn't think you would show up." He stood up and looked at her.

"I would not miss talking to you for the world, Sokka. That is one thing I miss the most about mortal, talking to you." She smiled at him and touched him cheek. "I have missed you."

**Hope you all liked the chapter. Ursa's other daughter is coming into the picture. I have had people ask about her. She will be big in the next coming chapters so stay tuned. See ya!**


	16. Chapter 16

The sun hung low in the sky, as Mai looked out at the ocean. "They will show up. That I promise you."

She turned and looked at her companion. "I know Zuko. He is persistent. Now that we know Azula is with him, they will both come. You get them both. I want the two water witches. His little bride will die first, but Jelisa will be tougher. If it wasn't for her, I would not have been imprisoned. I will show her pain that no human could live through." She fingered he stiletto in her hand.

The person pulled the hood of their cloak further up over their face as people walked near them. "Why are here? Someone here might recognized you and report it to the authorities."

Mai turned and looked at them. "I have placed people in the local government here. We have nothing to worry about. You are the one that wants them dead. I just want Katara and Jelisa dead. Zuko and Azula are your problem and they are a big problem. Oh and what about their mother? She stands in the way to the Fire Nation as well. So does Iroh. He is there right now, in the Fire Nation, by himself."

"Oh, both them will not be a problem. I have someone there now to take care of Iroh when Zuko and his little sister are dead. That way no one is there to be crowned Fire Lord. I can put my own person there. Everything is falling into place. Now, come Mai. We have many plans to lay and many more peoples lives to ruin before this comes to an end."

--

"Oh no you don't! You are not leaving me here." Arawn rose from the bed as Jelisa packed her things.

"Oh yes I am." She glared at him. "You can not stand for long periods of time, and every time you try to airbend, you about pass out. You are not fully healed and I will not have anything happen to you." She threw a few daggers into her bag and closed it.

He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stared at her. "Then I will not air bend. We will be on the back of Appa for a few days. I will not do anything until then. I will go with you, like it or not."

She walked over to the bed and stepped between his legs. She placed her hand on his cheek, and smiled sweetly at him, but the smile held a dangerous edge. "My love, my heart, I love you more than life itself and if anything happened to you I would tear the world asunder until I destroyed the person or people that did it to you. If you are here, then I can concentrate finding Annika. Now, do not make me get your mother." Her smile was bright and it worried him a bit. He knew she would not hesitate to involve Yan Chi in their battle.

Sighing in defeat, he shook his head. "Fine, I will stay behind, but do not think I will be happy about it." He looked up into her blue eyes. "You owe me for this, my wife." He grabbed her hand, and squeezed it.

Kissing him squarely on his lips, she pulled back and grabbed her bag. "I know, and when this is over, I will give up the life of an assassin. I will be yours everyday." With that, she walked out the door and shut it.

He smiled as he stood up. "And you should know better than to believe me, my love." He walked over to the dresser and pulled out his old ninja suit. "I knew you would come in handy again."

As he was getting dressed, he did not hear the Avatar walk into the room. "So, you are not going to listen to her." It was a statement, not a question.

He turned and faced Aang. "You should know me better than that. No one can tell me what to do. She should know that too."

Aang smiled and pulled his staff out from behind his back. "That's why she has guards around Appa right now. She thought you would pull your old tricks and attach yourself to his underbelly."

He silently cursed the woman's memory. "She still remembers that? Damn." He sat down in one of the chairs. "Maybe I should just stay here."

"Now, I know you can not use your bending much, but quick bursts don't bother you much do they?" Aang waked further into the room, staff in hand.

Arawn looked at the younger airbender. "Not really. What are you getting at?" He narrowed his eyes.

Aang stopped in front of him and placed the staff against the chair. "She finds out about this, you stole it from me, do you understand? I will not have her ripping me limb from limb because I am helping out a fellow brother." He smiled and turned to leave.

"I have no clue what you are talking about, Aang. I will see you in a few days." Aang nodded and waked from the room, closing the door silently behind him.

Finishing the last part of his outfit, he grabbed a short sword from Jelisa's collection, strapped it to his back and dove from the window, holding his borrowed glider.

The ground rushed up toward him as he snapped open the glider. He suddenly took to the skies. Gliding around the side of the palace, he took to staying close to the glaciers, until he reached the open waters of the ocean. Sending a silent prayer to Yue and Tui, he began his trek toward the waiting shores of the Earth Kingdom.

The waters of the North were crystal blue, and cold. Using the currents of the wind, he rose and fell with the drafts. The freedom it gave him was like nothing he had ever felt before. His people had left the skies behind when they went into hiding all those years ago. The glider had been forgotten, but they had trained in the way of the ninja. Feeling the wind rush though his hair was something he loved. It made him feel closer to his ancestors.

"I am going to have to get me one of these." He smiled as he preformed a backwards loop. "This is a blast! I should have borrowed this a long time ago."

He preformed a few more tricks until he felt his body begin to tire. Knowing he was close to over doing it, he scanned the horizon for some land. He had to get down before he fell from the skies. Then he saw it, a small island to the west of his position. Angling the glider in the direction of the land, he glided close to the water. If he did lose it, at least the tides would push him onto the land and he would not drowned. That is one conversation he would not want to have with Aang.

Coming in low, he saw something near the land. At first, it looked like a small piece of drift wood, but as he came closer, he saw it was a boat. Not just any boat though, it was one of the decommission Fire Navy vessels. "What in the world is it doing this close to the North Pole? I know Zuko sold a few off, but he put stipulations on it that whoever bought them had to stay away from the North and South Poles. I had better check this out."

Pulling on the last bit of his bending, he formed a bubble around himself and dived into the water. He swam under the ship and resurfaced on the other side. Fires were lit on the beach as he scanned for anyone around. The water was cold and began to sap the remaining strength he had. Seeing no one, he made a break for the shore.

--

Walking out of the palace, Jelisa smiled a little. She knew she had one up on Arawn. Posting guards around Appa was pure genius. He would not be able to sneak onto the underbelly of the beast again. He was not happy, but now she knew that he would not over due it here in the palace.

Turning the corner to head to the stable where Appa was, she ran right into someone. "Hey, watch what you are doing." She looked down to see a young girl, maybe in her early teens, looking up at her from her rear. Blue gray met ice blue.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. I was just on my way to see my uncle. I didn't mean to run into you. Please forgive me." The girl's eyes wielded up with tears as she looked up at Jelisa.

Jelisa held out her hand and smiled a bit. "Don't worry, it's okay. I am the one that should apologize. I have to learn to control my temper. Sometimes it gets the best of me." The girl grabbed Jelisa's hand and she helped her to her feet. "My name is Jelisa, what's yours?"

She smiled shyly at Jelisa, and pushed her massive reddish brown braid back over her shoulder. "Alora. My uncle is Chief Harper."

Jelisa cocked an eyebrow. "Harper you say? So, your mother must be his sister-in-law."

Alora shook her head. "No, Aunt Mira doesn't have any sisters. My mother died giving birth to me and no one knows what happened to my father. Uncle Harper raised me since I was very young. He said it would not be right for me to call him Dad, because one day I may find my real father." She smiled. "So, how do you know my uncle and aunt?"

Jelisa laughed "That is a long and complicated tale. One that I do not have time for right now. Come on, I will help you find Harper. It's the least I can do for making you fall on your back side." She began to walk into the palace with Alora on her heels. "Harper!!! Where are you?"

He walked around the corner, reading a parchment. "You know, little sister, you don't need to yell all the time. Some of us do have great hearing, and want to keep it that way." He looked up from his scroll to catch the girl. "Hello Alora. I was not expecting you for two more days." He hugged the girl.

"I know, but we came back early and I couldn't wait to come back and see you and Grandma. Where is she?" Alora looked up at him.

"In her rooms, go on. I have to talk to Jelisa alone." Alora nodded and smiled at Jelisa. "It was nice meeting you, Miss Jelisa. Will I see you again?"

Jelisa smiled and nodded. "I am leaving for a bit, but I will be back."

"Okay, bye." She turned and ran deeper into the palace.

Jelisa turned her gaze onto her oldest brother. "Cute kid, Harper. What happen? You get a girl knocked up when you were younger and didn't have he heart to tell her she is a bastard child?"

"What did she tell you?" He merely looked at her.

"That here mother died giving birth to her and no one could find her father." She crossed her arms under her breasts.

Shaking his head, he grabbed her arm and began to drag her towards the library. "You and I have a few things to talk about, Jennasa, but not here. The walls have ears, if you know what I am talking about."

Puling her arm free, she stared at him. "Whatever." She followed him to his personal rooms. "Where's your wife? You know she hates me."

"At her mother's with the baby. They will not be back for a few days." He closed the doors. "Now, about Alora. I know who her parents are. I do not want Rahab's spies to hear me. You were never to know. I was hoping you would not be here when she came back from the temple."

Jelisa placed her hand on her hip. "What does any of this have to do with me? And what temple?"

Harper let out a breathe. "Fourteen years ago, Alora's mother and father were together. They were madly in love and her mother, a young waterbender, became pregnant with her. Her father left before he found out about the pending birth. You see, he was not from our tribe. He was from a totally different nation. He had been called away, and they had plans for him to come back and claim her."

The tale he wove sounded like the one about her and Arawn. He left right before she found out she was pregnant. "What are you getting at?" She did not like the story. It brought back too many painful memories for her. Her hand automatically went to her stomach.

"Jennasa, Jelisa, I know you have been dealt a severe wrong in your life and for that I can not erase. I wish I could rewind time and give you back what was taken, but that is out of my power. Father swore me to secrecy while he was alive. You were not a few weeks along when you were stabbed, but a few months. He drugged you and kept you sedated for months. Long enough for the child to be taken from you and live. It was his doing that you are the way you are now. She was your replacement. Alora is your daughter. Yours and Arawn's. She began to develop her bending at a very young age, just like you did. She is powerful." He watched her.

She stared at him. Everything began to sink into her mind. The child she mourned for thirteen years, her's and Arawn's child, had been alive al these years. Living, breathing, right here in the North. That was why she way banished. So she would never find out. Black spots swam in her vision. Then, her world faded to black as she fell to the ground.

**I'm back! Hopefully, you enjoyed this chapter. I have had this on my computer since January, but I had to have it pulled off when tey had to trash my hard drive. My husband didn't fix the virus software and downloaded the wrong things and then trashed the hard drive. Anyway, I love making Jelisa's live a living hell. She will not be in the next chapter, but Ursa's other daughter will finally be met and so will the face of our second villan. Then evrything will begin to come together and the battle will begin. See ya!**


	17. Chapter 17

Dear Readers,

I know, I know it has been a long time since I have been on this story. Most of you have stuck with me in my rut. I have been working on the next few chapters for quite some time, but never seem to get them posted. After many, many months, I decide to turn to you. Do you think I should continue or not? You see, I got a new computer. Okay, the Compaq I got was through United Household Rentals and the screen went bad on it, so they gave me a loaner while they fixed mine. Now, here it is, many months later, and my Compaq, may it rest in peace, was not able to be fixed. I have now a Sony Vaio. Hopefully, crossing my fingers and toes, that this one is it. If you think I should continue with Peace No More let me know, if not I believe it will be deleted permanently. The first sixteen chapters are on my Dell that contracted a very nasty bug, and therefore is no longer operational. Let me know what you think. Thanks!!

Leinbaby497


	18. Chapter Seventeen

Mai walked into the small house that they were using as their base of operations. It was not furnished well, but it suited their needs. She had a place to rest her head at night, an it was dry from the constant rain the Earth Kingdom seemed to get. Nothing like the Fire Nation, that was for sure. Sometimes she missed home, but it was not enough to stop her from her ultimate goal, the destruction of Zuko and his water witch.

She grabbed some of the food from the table. The taste was bland from what she used to eating in the Fire Nation, but it was something to quell the hunger. Soon, all of their planning and past laid traps would be sprung. They had people all over the three nations. Some in places that no one would even think. Buried in prominent families. It was a glorious time for her. She knew Zuko's steps even before he did.

"Mai, it is nearly time. I received a letter from the Water Tribe. Everything is ahead of schedule there. It has been reported that their team is leaving the pole soon, and will be arriving here in a few days. Soon, the time will come when we will strike the North. My men are in place." Her employer, an enigma, walked from the back room carrying a scroll and a cup of tea.

She rolled her eyes. "When I have that water witch's head at my feet, I will feel we are on the right track. Until then, I will be cautious."

Sipping the tea, the cloaked figure shook their head. "You have a one track mind. They have been married for over ten years. Do you really think you had a shot with him anyway? If you want someone to blame, blame his father. He was the one that banished him in the first place if that never happened, then he would not have met his wife." They sat the cup on the table. "Oh, and you could have held onto him longer if you had not been such a jealous bitch."

Mai never let her anger get the best of her, but her new employer was pushing the right buttons. "You have no right to talk to me like that. I am still a lady of the Fire Nation. My family is still prominent."

The other person snorted. "Yeah, and they want nothing to do with you. You have brought disgrace on their name with your actions. You are not fit to have the title." Picking the tea back up, the cloaked figure waved her off. "You are a means to the end, my dear. You are here to kill two people. This is my war. I have been working on it for too long for your jealousy and rage to get in my way. The pieces are set, and the first move has been made. Zuko, Toph, Azula, and the water assassin Jelisa are on their way here to look for the fire brats' long lost sister. A bastard child Lady Ursa had before Azula. It is a pity they will not have a grand family reunion."

Mai watched the mysterious one walk from the room, laughing slightly. They were the only person, besides Azula in her darkest time, to set her on edge.

* * *

Arawn looked at the small camp from the safety of the trees. He knew many of the men. They were from the assassin's guild that went rogue a few years ago. Jelisa had put her best trackers on them with little success. It was like they vanished. Now, he was starting to see what was going on. They were part of the plot to dethrone Zuko and kill him. He stranded his ears to hear what they were saying.

"Any word from the main land?" One man, a large ape looking fellow with dark eyes, looked over at a small man, who he could tell from his posture was a bender of some type.

"Yeah, the girl is there. R said once the assassin knew the truth, that girl would be the downfall of her. Along with the airbender. In two days time, we should get word to attack. He sent us all the plans for the secret ways into the city. It will be easy to get the child and get out." The smaller man pulled out the maps and laid them on the table next to the fire.

"A child could be her downfall? Come on. She fought tooth and nail to get the Fire Lord's kids back . What makes them think that this kid will be any different? I know Jelisa personally. She is a cut throat bitch that would kill you rather than look at you. She will not be brought down by the kidnapping of some girl." A third man, who Arawn recognized from the guild, walked into the firelight. He was one that hadn't ran.

Shit! This means there could be more of the assassins in on the uprising. I have to get back to the palace and let Jelisa know. Arawn watched the men a few more minutes. He had heard enough. Slipping silently from the tree, he darted back to the shore, snatching the borrowed glider. It would take most of his strength just to get airborne. He knew it would not be like jumping from a window.

Pulling on the bending he had, he launched himself into the sky. Staying clear of the ship, he raced the clock to get back to the palace. Half hour later, and fighting fatigue, he saw the Great Wall of the North come into view. Well, if I drop from the sky now, at least I will have a better chance of being rescued before I freeze to death. I am an idiot for trying this. I guess I found out the hard way there was no way I was making it to the Earth Kingdom.

Gliding just barely over the edge of the wall, he pushed himself just a little bit more. He had to make it to the palace before the fatigue took over completely. There, to the left, was the courtyard. He knew the landing was going to suck, but at least he would not be a bobber in the ocean. The healers could patch him together later.

Pulling the wings of the glider closed, he braced for the skid that never came. Opening his eyes, he looked down to see he had landed in a pile of snow. The maker of the snow was Katara. "She is going to kill you for being out of that room."

Arawn smiled sheepishly at her. "I know, but I did find out something on my little outing." She helped him out of the snow.

"First, let's take the damning evidence back to Aang before she kills both of you. Now, is this news that has to be shared with everyone?" The Fire Lady looked at him.

Brushing off the left over snow, he nodded. "Yeah, it's bad I'm afraid."

"Then let's go." She turned to him. He walked behind her, but because of his previous injuries, and the strain he just put his body through, his once strong legs gave out.

Katara was at his side in a flash. "Over did it , didn't you?" She wrapped his arm around her neck, and helped him to his feet.

"Yeah, guess I did. I need a long nap after this." He limped beside her, feeling rather embarrassed by having the Fire Lady of all people, help him walk.

She shook her head. "I guess I am going to have to tell the staff to spike your drinks just so we know you are going to rest." She took the mother tone with him. He hated it when his own mother took that tone with him, now Katara was doing the same thing.

"Do not tell J I fell. I will never hear the end of it, and she will never get off my case." They entered the great hall, heading for the stables.

"Okay." The rest of the trip was in silence.

They found the gang waiting around Appa, the Great bison. The turned and looked at him. Arawn saw Aang trying to bite back a laugh. "Shut up. You say anything, anything at all, and they will be hunting for the new Avatar in a few days time."

"Come on, Arawn. It is rather amusing that my wife is helping you." Zuko smiled at him. "You going to threaten me too? Remember, my wife, who I hope loves me, is standing next to you, and in her element."

Arawn felt Katara shake her head. "Don't pester him, Zuko. Like you just said. I am in my element." She looked up at Arawn. "Now that I helped you get here. What did you need to tell us?"

"First, where is my wife? I thought she was going to meet you guys here?" He looked around. Jelisa was no where to been seen.

Toph was the first to speak. "She never showed. We were about to go look for her, but then you showed up."

"She is resting."

They all turned to see Harper walk out into the stables. "We were talking and she collapsed. My healers believe it is from exhaustion. She had been running herself ragged since she got here, and I know much longer than that. Let her sleep. She will be well in a few hours."

"I don't think we have a few hours. Night is approaching. I need everyone on Appa. This is a conversation that should not be had here. Harper, you have spies inside your home and city." He would not go farther. "Come on. Time is not in our side."

They looked at one another and climbed into Appa's saddle one by one. Aang took the reins. "Where should we go?"

"Just up. They have no eyes and ears in the sky." The great beast leapt into the air with a call from his master. Soon they were flying around the outside of the city. When Aang climbed into the saddle with everyone else, Arawn began to speak. "When I left, I had the intention of defying my wife and mother. On my way to the Earth Kingdom, I realized that I would not make it. My strength has not yet returned. When I was looking for a place to land, I saw an old Fire Nation ship on the borderlands of here. Remember Jelisa telling us about the assassins that went rogue a few months back?" they shook there heads yes. "Well, they joined up with the resistance. They have maps and everything showing the secret tunnels to and from the palace. The plan to kidnap a young girl here. Said to be the downfall of J. I have no idea who they were talking about."

Harper cleared his throat. "I believe I do. First, did they give a name of the person that has been sending the information?"

"No, just R. That is what they were calling him. Now, who is this girl?" Arawn looked at him sharply. The chief may be is brother-in-law, but he was not above pushing him off the bison.

"Her name is Alora. She is a young airbender. I believe their informant is Rahab. He is the only one that knows the significance of Alora, besides my mother." The chief looked away.

Arawn was confused. "Why would they want to take an airbender to get to my wife? Yeah, I am one, but it still does not make any sense,"

Toph reached over and placed a hand on Harper's arm. "Spit it out. Your heart is about to explode."

"Alora is special. Her mother is a water bender and her father is an airbender. She got her bending from him. Arawn, there is no easy way to say this. The girl they are after is the child from you and Jennasa. You have a daughter." Harper looked at Arawn.

His mind was a complete blank. The words the man spoke went in, but his mind was not processing them. "Let me make sure I heard you right. The child they want is the daughter my wife cried over all these years. Yes, I knew she was pregnant. I am not stupid. You knew, that the child was alive, and yet you never sent word to me or her." He felt his fists clench in rage.

"I could never find you. You moved too much."

"You had her dropped off that night. The night she was beaten, and nearly killed by you and your father. I know everything. I am the one that snuck in that night and murdered him. He confessed everything, hoping I would spare his life. I took it instead. I should have taken yours too, but I will settle for this." Then proceeded to punch the Water Tribe chief in the face.


	19. Chapter Eighteen

**Hello and welcome back! I have finally finished Chapter 18. It is great! You find out many new things here. Enjoy!!**

Rahab laid low in the shadows. He knew Harper had finally told Jennasa about Alora. It was starting to come together. He would not have had to come down to this low of a scheme if his sister had not come back, but knowing how she had influences everywhere, he had to take her out of the fight, permanently. He had sent out the letter to the resistance, letting them know when and where to attack. It was now a waiting game.

Slipping the pack on his back, he slipped through the secret tunnels and headed for the docks. He had a ship there. He was to meet up with them, then start the invasion of the North. It was simple and to the point. There would be no turning back. His cargo had already been stored below in the hold.

* * *

Mai looked at the black cloak flapping in the breeze. They had just gotten word a day ago about the new information in the North. Seems like the hostile takeover was going down in a few days. The stage was set. The pawns in place, and they were ready to begin.

It was a day by boat to the staging area. The small group they had gathered were already there, and so was their northern informant. "So, are you ready, Mai? It will not be long now."

She looked at the leader of this whole assault. "I am. Now that we are out here, why don't you take that cloak off, Annika."

The other woman spun around and looked at her. "How did you know?"

"Please, I have known since the beginning. The hostile takeover of everyone. The hatred of Zuko and Azula. It was a simple deduction. Azula found a document of your birth in the royal archives many years ago. Her mother was not there to explain, so she had me hunt down the leads. I know you are the bastard child of Ursa and another man. It was not that hard to figure out. I played along with everything you have said so far. All I wanted was my revenge. I do not really care about your personal vendettas."

Annika dropped the hood to the cloak. Golden eyes stared at her. "Well, looks like the cat is out of the bag. You are better than I thought. I have had this planned out for many years. Ever since my parents told me where I came from. Do you know what it did to me to find out that I was someone that everyone hated. That is why the shipped me to the north so much. In the colder months it is hard for a fire bender to firebend."

Mai yawned and looked at her nails. "And I really don't care. You have your reasons and I have mine, end of discussion. Why do I always hook up with people that have abandonment issues? I guess the spirits feel like cursing me." She rolled her eyes heaven ward. "Let's just get this over with."

The firebender looked at Mai. "No wonder my half brother left you for the waterbender. You have no personality."

* * *

After landing, Katara watched Arawn leap off the side of the bison and storm into the palace. Harper sat there, blood dripping through his fingers onto the saddle. She felt sorry for him, but at the same time, he had hurt two of her best friends.

"I'm surprised all he did was hit you. Watch out, he may come back for round two." Toph slid down the bison's tail and walked inside as well.

Katara pulled a little water out of the air. "Let me help you. At least I will not make you suffer." She looked at the chief as he moved his hands. His nose was crooked, and his upper lip was split and swollen. "He really did a number on you. I am surprised you did not loose any teeth." She placed the healing glove on Harper's face, and could feel the bones resetting and the skin stitching itself back together.

Harper looked at her. "So am I. I thought he was going to knock me off of the bison." He stood up and headed out of the saddle. "Thank you."

Zuko helped her down. She smiled at her husband. "Why did you do it though? How could you do that to your own sister?" She turned back to Harper.

"I don't know. I love my sister, but…." He hung his head. "I don't know."

Zuko shook his head. "I had to choose one time to kill my sister, or help her. I chose to help. I may not get along with her, and yes, she has tried to kill me one several occasions, but to do to her what you have done to Jelisa, I can not even fathom it. That was a low blow."

Harper looked up at the Fire Lord. Katara could see the sorrow in his eyes. "I know, and believe me, I have dreaded telling her for years now. Alora knows a little about her parents, but that is it. I told her that her mother died giving birth to her. Which, in a sense, is correct. The night we took Alora and banished Jennasa was the night she died. I did not want to do it, but if word got out that she was with child before she was married, our family would be shamed forever. My father could not bare that. That is why if anyone asked of her, he said she was off in the Earth Kingdom on an extended holiday."

"Now, you have to tell that young girl in there who her parents are and why she was lied to." Zuko turned away from Harper, and Katara followed him, not knowing what to say.

* * *

Alora walked from her grandmother's room. She had met many new people. Old family friends her grandmother had told her. The Airbender elder, Yan Chi. Her son was one of her early teachers, Arawn. She smiled when she remembered him. He was so nice, and would help her with any problem she had. The elder Fire Lady, Ursa. She was the Fire Lord's mother. She smiled a lot and was very sweet to her. Slipping her fire gummies when her grandmother's back was turned, and then there was Jelisa.

The woman in black was a puzzle. She was mean, but when she saw who she bumped into, she smiled and helped her up. She had found out from Yan Chi that Arawn had married Jelisa. She was happy that he had found someone, but she found their relationship odd. A waterbender and an airbender marrying, but when she looked at it, it really wasn't. Fire Lord Zuko and Fire Lady Katara were a fire bender and a waterbender.

Walking through the corridors, she headed for her rooms, when again, she collided with someone, and again found herself on her rear. She looked up to see her old bending teacher looking at her. "Sifu Arawn! Your mother told me you were here. I was going to look for you later." She airbended herself to her feet, smiling.

"Alora, it is good to see you. When did you meet my mother?" He looked at her puzzled.

"A few moments ago. She is with my grandmother and Fire Lady Ursa." She bowed to him and he returned the favor.

"Can you direct me? I really need to speak with her." He smiled at her, but it did not reach his eyes.

She nodded. "Sure, I will take you there." She lead the way to her grandmother's room. Knocking, she heard her grandmother call. She opened the door. "Grandmother, Sifu Arawn is here to see his mother. May he come in?"

"Of course child. Thank you. Why don't you head to your room and play for a time. I will have someone come get you when it is time for tea."

She had the feeling her grandmother was dismissing her. She bowed and walked back out the door as Arawn walked in and closed it. Eavesdropping, which she knew she should not do, but she wanted to see why she was being sent away so fast. She pressed her ear to the door and listened.

Yan Chi was the first to speak. "I see you found Alora in the hall. It has been awhile since you have seen her."

"Cut the crap, Mother. You are in charge of when the students leave the temple. You knew that J and I were here. Why now, and how long have you known?" Arawn was mad. She had never heard him raise his voice to anyone.

Her grandmother was the next to speak. "Arawn, please calm down. We know you have known for awhile. We figured you would have figured it out when you first saw her all those years ago. I was trying to reset wrongs. Why do you think I had her sent to you and your mother? Not because your mother was in charge, but because of her looking like my daughter. I was hoping you would put two and two together. I wanted my daughter to come back home. The only connection I had to her was through you."

"Yanna, your daughter would have never come back here, even if you begged on hands and knees. We all know this. You have had your little spies looking for her for many years and they have all come up empty handed, if I am not mistaken. She cut ties the moment your husband had her banished." She did not like the way the conversation was going. The Princess Jennasa was banished many, many years ago for attacking the tribe. She was sent out never to return. Why now did they want her back?

"I loved my daughter and what my husband did was morally wrong. No child should be taken from their mother. I feel for my daughter. I love Jennasa, and the day they took your daughter from her, is the day I lost my only daughter as well. I did not want this, Arawn, I really didn't. I tried to talk him out of it, but he said that Alora would be raised to replace her mother on the throne if something was to happen to Harper. He did not trust Rahab. But the best laid plans always has a bump somewhere. We had hoped that she would not be able to bend, but when she started to bend the air, we knew it was only a matter of time before she was sent to you, her father."

Alora stepped back. Arawn was her father?!? How was that possible? He had told her long ago that he loved Princess Jennasa, but due to things and the war, they could not be together. Then she was banished. Her mind raced. If Arawn was her father, then…… Thinking back, she remembered what Uncle Harper had said when Jelisa had called for him. She was his sister. Placing two and two together, she gasped. Her mother was Jelisa, Arawn's wife.

She flew into the room, tears spilling down her face. Everyone looked at her. "Why? Why have you all kept it from me?"

Her grandmother looked at her. "What are you talking about, my dear?"

"I heard everything! You knew since the day I was born who my parents were. You knew where I came from, yet you would not tell me. Then I was sent away to learn. You sent me to the Air Temple, where you knew my father would be." She looked at Arawn. "And he didn't even know. You have lied to me for years. My mother was the banished princess that has come back. I know who she is. Uncle Harper slipped up and called her his sister before he saw me. My mother is here, in the palace!" She sobbed harder and fell to her knees. "How could you, Grandmother?"

Arawn dropped to his knees by her side. "Alora, many people have been lied to and deceived for many years. I wish you did not have to find out that way, but the damage is done, and I can tell you your mother, my wife, has been grieving for you since she thought she lost you. I have too. If I had know who you were when I was training you, I would have taken you to her then, but the past is behind us now."

He took her hands. She looked up at him with tear stained face. He was the same caring person he was all those years ago, but now she knew that he was the father she had wanted for so many years. Not knowing what else to do, she threw herself into his arms and cried.

* * *

Jelisa slowly opened her eyes. The room was dark, and no candles were lit. "Ugh, I am going to kill him when I find him." She sat up and busted her head. "What the!?!"

She felt the ceiling and it was wood. She was in a box. "Let me out of here!"

"Now, now, dear sister. You will get out when you decide to listen to me."

"Rahab, I am going to flay you when I get out of here, then have you healed just so I can do it again." She hit the sides again.

He laughed. "I have a proposition for you. I learned the truth about Alora from our father many years ago. I knew she was the key to stopping you and our brother. You two have a soft spot for children, but I guess I am more like father. I have no heart and love it. You will listen to me and listen good. You will work with us, or I will have my people on the inside kill the girl, and all of your friends. How do you think the world would take it if the Fire Nation royal family, the Avatar and his wife, and their children died from an unknown illness? Rather badly, since they are in the North. What will it be, Jennasa?"

Knowing there was no way out if it, she slammed her fists into the wood. She could feel blood run down the sides of her hands. "Fine, but when this is over, I will kill you."

"Good girl."

**Wow! That had to be the darkest chapter I have written so far. So much hate and angst in there. It took me a week to write it. I am trying to get back to finishing this. I hope to. Now that you have seen who wants them all dead, she will start to play a bigger role in the next chapters, then the final ending will come. Rahab is evil, Alora now knows, and they have Jelisa. Not a very good combo. See you next chapter. Aang comes back in later, and plays a big part. **


	20. Chapter 19

She sat there, back against the wall of the box they kept her in until the time came to use her. Evil plots ran in and out of her mind. _I am going to lay open his throat and spit on his body when I get out of this damn thing._ She smiled at the thought of him falling to his knees and trying to hold the blood in his body, but to only have it run around his hand. The thought made a smile creep its way across her lips.

"Hey!" One of the guards hit the side of the crate, bring her back to reality. "Rahab wants to speak to you. I am going to let you out now. Do not try anything stupid, Jelisa."

She knew who was speaking. He was once one of the assassins she controlled. He was already marked on the hit list. "I wouldn't dream of it." She ground her teeth and felt the crate being lowered.

Once it hit the ground, the top came off and she stood at full height, back popping and a few other places doing the same. Staying in a sitting position for as long as she had was enough to make someone's joints want to lock up. Vaulting over the edge, the men took a stance when her feet touched the ground.

She rolled her eyes and looked at her brother. "Alright, I'm out and you wanted to talk, so open your mouth and speak."

Rahab glared at her, blue eyes held malice. "You would do well to hold your tongue, Jennasa."

"And you would do well to remember that you don't hold absolute power." She glared and took a seat by the fire. "What do you want me to do?"

"You are going to kill Harper."

Jelisa's head shot up. "I don't think so."

He laughed and sat on the log opposite of her. "You have wanted to do it for years, little sister. The only difference is you don't have a choice as to when you do it. You kill him, and I will become chief. After that, your friends will be free to leave, but you will stay behind. You are far more valuable right where you are."

She snorted and watched the fire die a bit. "As your personal lap dog? I don't think so. I will never be able to do that."

He smiled and stirred the fire, bringing it back to life from where I had made it die a little bit. "And again, you don't have a say so in the matter."

Looking at him, she raised a brow. "You cannot hold me long, and you know that. You are not a bender, nor are you a good fighter. All you inherited from anyone is Father's scheming ways."

"I know, and that is what makes me superior to you or to Harper. You are a hot head. You always have been, little sister, and the people love Harper. He's brave and charismatic, but he lacks knowledge on warfare." Rahab frowned and stood. "I have that knowledge and if he had just listened to me and joined with us, I would not be on this forsaken island plotting his assassination at the hands of his baby sister."

Shaking her head, she turned on the log and watched him. "You are really twisted, you know that? What the hell did we do to you, huh? I mean if anyone has the right to be pissed at the world it's me. I was beaten, had my child taken from me, drugged, then dumped in the Earth Kingdom wilderness to die. All because I loved someone that Father did not approve of. He had Harper do the deed. So what was your part in it, or did you have the old man's ear and plant the idea in his head?"

Rahab chuckled and smiled at her. A twisted, sleazy smile that would make most people look away, but not her. She had been around slime balls and sickos for years now. It was old hat. "I knew that our family was next in line. Father and I came up with the idea for the Fire Nation to invade the North, and get the chief killed. That way we could take over. You were to become Princess and Father was going to marry you off to the Fire Nation Prince. It would have been a powerful alliance, but you had to mess everything up by sleeping with that Airbender and getting pregnant by him."

Jelisa listened to him speak but the whole time she seethed and gnashed her teeth at the man in front of her. She wanted nothing more than to rip his throat from his body. An idea hit her. It was an insane idea and she had never tried it before. Well, not without a full moon. She looked at her hand and then at the sky. _Yue, please help me save everyone I love._

"Brother," She batted her eyes at him, "have you ever heard what I can do? What I can really do?"

"You are one of the best assassins out there. You have made quite the name for yourself. I would say you are almost as underhanded as myself or Father was." He linked his hands behind his back.

She let a twisted smile of her own spread across her face. "I have a few tricks that are unknown to the North. Since I was not allowed to be taught here, I found a few teachers that taught me things. This is one of them." She got to her feet and took a stance.

Rahab's eyes widened as his legs began to work on their own. The strain on her threatened to overtake her, but she was doing it. She was bloodbending without the aid of the full moon. "What…What are you doing to me?"

She pushed harder and took control of his arms. "This is bloodbending. Only very powerful waterbenders can do it and I only know of one other that can. An old woman taught it to me while we sat in a Fire Nation prison. A nasty trick." She let the power flow from her and she felt the blood of three others. Reaching inward for the strength, she took control of them to, but at a price.

Blood began to leak from her own nose. Her body was straining to hold all the men at bay, but she had to do this. There was no other way. She had to be free, but if she burned herself out, that would be the end of her waterbending. She could not let that happen, and so she felt around in their bodies and slowly closed off the main flow of blood to the brain, rendering them unconscious.

Dropping to her knees once she released them, her breath came out in ragged gasps. The strain was unbelievable, but she had done it. She now knew what she could do.

Slowly climbing to her feet, she stumbled to the water. It was too cold to swim and too far to yell, but she had to get off the island somehow. Then she spotted it. A canoe floating in the currents. Making a small patch of ice, she climbed on it and bent herself over to the craft.

It had been long abandoned. A fishing pole, and a few pieces of gear sat at the bottom of the small boat, but it did not have any holes. Climbing in, she lay on her back and looked up at the night sky. Her whole body began to ache from the strain she had just done to it. Her eyes began to close, and she knew sleep was to follow. _Please, please, someone find me._ The blissfulness of oblivion claimed her and she slept.

The canoe that held her like cradle bobbed into the mist that appeared and shrouded her from sight.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Arawn paced the large hall that everyone had gathered in. Jelisa was gone and so was Rahab. The slimy bastard had finally begun to show his true colors, and was at the heart of everything that was happening. Harper looked over the map and shook his head.

"That island does not exist, Arawn. Are you sure it is right there?" He pointed to the spot that the older Airbender had said he saw the island.

"Yes, that was the location. It is small, only large enough for a few people to hide on. I think they are just using it as a staging area. Somewhere to stop and hide supplies. If they were going to take Jelisa that would be where they would stop." He growled. "Why the hell are we sitting here and talking about this when they could already be away from there and on their way to the Earth Kingdom? If they get there, we will have no way of finding them." He glared at the Water Tribe chief.

Aang stood up and walked over to him. "You need to calm down Arawn. We will find out where they went, but we cannot go at this without a solid plan. If we do, they will have the upper hand."

Azula shook her head from her chair. "I say we just go burn down the island and go from there. I can do the burning." She looked down at her nails and dug a piece of dirt out from under one of them.

"Yeah, like that would do any good, Azula. We cannot approach this like a siege. We need stealth, and that means a small team." Zuko glared at his sister. "No more than five."

"I'm going and so help anyone that tries to stop me." He clinched his fists and sent a glare around the room. No one opened their mouths. "Glad we could have this talk."

"Honestly, I think the team should be Sokka, Zuko, Arawn, Azula and Katara." Harper looked at them. "I mean two firebenders, a waterbender, an airbender, and basically three swordsmen. It is a good combination if you ask me."

Everyone look at each other. "And what the hell am I, chopped liver?" Toph got to her feet, a scowl on her face.

"Hey, we are in the frozen North, Toph. You can't see." Arawn pointed out, and sighed. "I think the team Harper said would work. Now, we just need a plan to get out there."

"How did you get out there to start off with?" Azula asked sitting up and resting her arms on the table.

"Glided." He sat down and rested his forehead against the table. "That doesn't do you guys any good, and I wouldn't be able to repeat that flight. I still have not got my strength completely back. So that means I am just a faster sword." He rocked his head from side to side. "I swear when this is over, I am taking a vacation. Far away from everyone and everything, and you all can bite me."

That got a laugh from the group. "I think I will agree with you there. A long extended vacation where no one can find me." Azula smiled at the thought.

"So when are we moving on to this plan?" Zuko shook his head. "We need to move soon."

They all looked at each other. "I think I have an idea." Katara smiled. "It's a bit insane, but I know we will have the element of surprise."

*/*/*/*/*/*/*

The sea lapped at the boat that had run aground keeping it from drifting back out to into the vast waters. Jelisa lay motionless in the bottom of the small craft, shivering from the falling temperatures. Her eyes drifted closed and then opened again. It had been too long since she had to survive in the harsh cold of the North. She had been so far removed from her heritage that the blood freezing chill had seeped into her core, threatening to end her life right then and there.

Pulling her cloak around her tighter, she shivering became uncontrollable. The shakes were harsh, and the wind rocked the boat. Her teeth chattered and she was losing feeling fast. She knew she had to get to safety, but what lay outside the boat was vast fields of white and blowing winds.

_So, is this how I die? Killed by my own element? How ironic. A waterbender dying from the snow._ She couldn't help but laugh at the irony of her situation. She was stuck out in the cold, with no winter gear and no one knew where she was.

Since ending up here, she had not been able to bend the slightest bit of water, and that scared me. Had she actually burned herself out using the bloodbending? She breathed into her hands, trying to keep them somewhat warm, but it was failing miserably. They were freezing and so was she.

Would anyone find her in time? She doubted it.

Her eyes shut again, and she was too tired to open them once more. So she lay there, nearly spent, and just waiting for the Spirits to claim her. It would be a fitting end for everything. Rahab loses his weapon, and the world loses another assassin. It would be no loss. At least not to her. Everything would work out on its own.

Everything would get better for everyone else. She felt her lips twitch and then she felt no more.

**Oh my God! I can't believe it's been almost three years since I worked on this last. I guess I just lost inspiration, but I think I found it again. I will finish this, make no mistake. It is long overdue and I am so sorry. **


	21. Chapter 21

Katara bent the water around the air bison as he moved his tail to push them through the water. The other four sat in the saddle, watching the fish pass the small air pocket that she had created.

Arawn moved up behind her. "How far out do you think we are?" He sat in the curve of the edge of the saddle.

"I'm not sure. We should be coming up on it." She moved her hands back and forth, bending the water and keeping them dry. "I hope you are right about the location. A few degrees in any direction will put us in nothing but water." She spared him a glance, and then concentrated on the motion of her craft.

"Maybe we should surface and get a look around? Figure out if we are still on course." He offered, and the idea had merit.

Katara nodded and signaled Appa to begin heading upward. The bison moved his tail and began to speed towards the surface of the freezing water. They broke the surface and she looked around. Land was to the right of them. "Is that it?" She pointed to the island.

He nodded and they made their way to the small island, but when they arrived there was nothing there. No boat, not a breathing soul. She watched Arawn scream and kick a few rocks around. Zuko walked through what was once a camp.

"They have not been gone long, Arawn. Less than a day. I would say a few hours at best. We could find them in the water." The Fire Lord looked at the airbender.

Azula took a seat in a fallen log. "I think we should burn down the island. That way they cannot hide here any longer."

"I hate to say this, but I think that is a good idea. If it is nothing but ash, they can't stop here anymore. One less place for them to hide from us." Sokka re-sheathed his sword and shook his head. "So, what do you three think?"

Katara nodded. "I think it is a good idea. Arawn? Zuko?"

Arawn growled, but nodded. Zuko was crouched down, looking at something on the ground. "Someone was bleeding right here and judging from the boot impressions, I would say it was Jelisa."

"How bad?" Arawn was there in a heartbeat, kneeling next to the firebender.

"Not that bad. It is only a few drops, but it is still there. No other boot prints are near." He looked up at the archer. "I think she may have escaped."

That got the rest of the attention. "How do you figure?" Azula asked, walking over to her brother.

He pointed to the way the prints were situated. "These are in a stance. They are heavier than her normal walking prints. She was not moving when she made these. I would say she was bending, and trying hard from the weight of them." He stood and looked at his wife. "Can you bend the water from this far away?"

She nodded and did it effortlessly. "If I can do that, I know Jelisa could. Why would she work that hard to bend?"

"Maybe they gave her something to stop her from bending?" Sokka spoke, throwing out ideas.

Katara shook her head. "I don't think so." She looked down at the spacing and knew what she had tried or did do. "She was bloodbending. That was why they are so heavy, but you can't do it without the full moon."

"She is a Northern bender, close to the North. Maybe it gives her an edge." Azula looked at the group. "It's kind of like a firebender being in the snow trying to bend versus being near a volcano. We can bend better near our element and a bit more powerful."

"That would not work. I know I am no more powerful here than I would be in the South. Now, if the Oasis was near, that would be different, but that is back in the North Tribe. Too far from here to feel its power. Could he have really blood bended this early?" Katara walked towards the water. "And if she did, where did she go?"

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*?

The wind howled around her as she struggled through the drifting snow and the strong winds. Jelisa shielded her eyes and looked forward; trying to see anything she could to find out where she was. She had left the safety of the canoe a few hours ago when she came back to the waking world. She knew she had to get back to the Tribe. She had to get to safety.

But as she looked on, all she saw was vast fields of white snow and gray jagged rocks jutting from the flat land every once in a while. She sighed, hung her head and began to walk again. Her head was down and the cloak pulled tight around her. The cold winds bit through her, causing her to stumble every once in a while.

Tears froze to her cheeks, her fingers were numb and she still could not bend. I guess I did burn myself out. Now I am nothing but an assassin. She sighed and wiped her nose with the back of her sleeve. It was getting harder to move. The wind was freezing her from the outside in. Without her bending, she could not keep the cold at bay. It was something she had never had to deal with before.

Stumbling once more, she landed on her knees, and did not have the strength to get back to her feet. She was frozen. She was completely spent.

But something caught her ear. Her name came on the wind. She looked up to see a dark figure walking through the snow. "Jelisa!"

It had to be the spirits coming to get her. There was no way anyone would be able to find her out here in the middle of a blizzard. "Jelisa!" They called once more. She struggled to her feet, took a step and fell once more. She was ready to go. Leave this place and face her judgment on the other side.

So she laid there in the snow, and let the darkness claim her, but not before she felt something touch her. "You are going to be alright." And that was the end.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

She felt the warmth as she came back to the world of the living. She could hear voices and knew who they were. One was Katara, the other was Aang. "I don't understand. She is a waterbender. The cold should not have affected her the way it did. She should not have almost froze out there."

"She can't bend, Katara. Her chi is blocked. I don't know if she will ever bend again." Aang said sadly. "She must have done something too much to do that. I have heard of benders burning themselves out doing something that is beyond their abilities. She had not burned out her bending, but blocked her chi so bad that I have never seen it that bad."

Jelisa opened her eyes and looked up at the ice ceiling of her bedroom. She might never bend again? It was a though that did not sit well with her. She had other skills to fall back on, but to never feel the water under her control? It was enough for her stomach to turn. Quickly rolling to her side, the bile came up and all over the floor.

Three people were at her bed in a heartbeat. She knew two of them were Aang and Katara, and the third had to be Arawn. "Jelisa, are you alright?"

"No, I just threw up all over the floor." She snarled and rolled back until she was staring at the ceiling once more. "I heard what you said. That I may never bend again." The words were sour on her tongue and she wanted to throw up again, but she controlled the urge.

"You heard?" Aang asked. "I wanted to break the news to you gently. Not you to overhear."

"Well I heard. Is there any way to fix it?" She asked as she got herself into a sitting position. Katara was bending the vomit into a bucket and watching the younger woman do the thing she could easily do the day before caused anger to flow through her. "Stop that Katara!"

The Fire Lady quickly finished what she was doing and stepped away from her. A servant took the bucket from the room. Arawn's hand rested on her leg. "Jelisa, we will figure this out. You will be fine."

She turned her head quickly and glared daggers at her husband. "I should have never come back here. Every time, the North takes something from me. My family takes something from me! First my ability to have a normal life. Now, Rahab has taken my bending. What am I now, huh? I am just an assassin."

"You are more than that, J. You are a leader, princess and my other half. You are more than you think you are. We will fix this." He pulled her to him, and she began to cry.

"How? How do you fix something that could be completely broken?" She wept into his shoulder and the tears came fast and hard. She was broken even more now than before.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Harper looked down at the report that had just come in. Rahab's ship had been spotted in Earth Kingdom waters and was heading towards Ba Sing Sei. The chief brought his fist down on the table. He was going to personally flay the bastard for what he had done.

Yanna walked in, cloak pulled around her. "Where is my daughter? You said you have her sent to me when she awoke. Where is she, Harper?" She glared at her son with those sharp blue eyes.

He sighed and stood. "There was an incident. She is recovering. I would not go looking for her as this time. She will not receive you well."

"What happened?" She pulled out the chair in front of Harper's desk and sat down.

"Rahab took her, and to get away, there is a chance she had burned out her bending. Congratulations Mother. You and Father finally got your wish. None of your children can bend now. We are a normal, completely dysfunctional family." He shook his head and looked back down at the report. "Now I have to fight my own brother. Are you happy?"

She looked at him through narrowed eyes. "I am not happy. Not in the least. You know I was over the moon when I found out your sister could bend. There had not been a bender in the family for a hundred years. Then she was born and that changed. I knew your brother as going to follow in your father's footsteps. There was nothing I could do there. I tried everything I could to show him what his father was doing was the wrong thing. I even went to Arnook when he was alive, to try and get his help. But without proof, there was nothing he could do. I understood that. That was why I was searching for your sister for years."

"I don't get it." He stood and began to pace the room. Yanna watched him. "You knew what was going on. You knew he was going to pull a move to take the throne from me, and yet you sat in your rooms and did nothing. You did not even come to me and tell me anything."

She looked down at the ground. "I had no proof. You knew how your father was and how he had taken Rahab under his wing. He was always his favorite. I was hoping to change that when he passed, but the damage had already been done. That was why I had him watched and kept him from your family. I did not want the same thing to happen to your wife that happened to Jennasa." She finally raised her face, and he could see the beginning of tears. "My son, my oldest. I have tried to keep the demons at bay, but I could not do it on my own and now I see that. I have destroyed so many lives trying to keep everything under the ice, but I have wronged so many."

Harper sighed and walked to his mother. He knelt in before her. "I know you have, and you have done a good job until now, but it is time we let the past go. Alora needs her parents now more than ever. Jennasa needs us. She will not receive us well, but I think we need to try."

Yanna took his hands. "May I go see her? It has been far too many years since my old eyes have seen her face. Will I still recognize her?"

He nodded. "She is still the same, but her eyes are different. There is no innocence left. She has become an assassin and from what I have heard, quite good at what she does."

"I will be on my best behavior then." She smiled.

He took his hands away and stood. "Come on. I will take you too her room."

She followed behind and together they walked down to the room his sister was currently in. Yelling was heard from down the hall and a few crashes. They ran to the room and looked in. Jelisa was yelling at one of the guards at was trying in vain to restrain her.

"GET OFF ME!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. Arawn grabbed for one of her legs. "I WILL NOT DEAL WITH THIS!"

"J, calm down! No one is going to hurt you, but if you keep trying to bend, you are going to hurt yourself." Arawn tried to talk to her, but she swung a fist at his head, which he ducked.

Harper rushed into the room and tackled her to ground before anyone knew he was there. She screamed like a banshee under him, thrashing under the weight of his body. "Get off me! Get off me! I can do this! I can get it right this time!" Tears poured form her eyes.

"No you won't, Jelisa. You can't right now. You cannot do it." He held her down and looked into her eyes. "You cannot bend."

She screamed and went limp. "I can do it." She whispered through the tears. "I am a bender. I am a master waterbender. They cannot take that from me. Not now, not ever." She hiccupped and closed her eyes.

"If I let you up, do you promise to be calm and not try? I will take you to the Spirit Oasis myself and see if there is anything Tui and La can do for you, but you cannot be attacking people, sis." He kept his eyes on her face.

Her eyes met his and he saw the fight drain from the icy blue depths. She nodded and he released her hands and stood. Offering her one, she took it and pulled her to her feet. "I'm sorry. I have not come to terms that I cannot do what I used to do."

He knew it was going to be tough on her right now. She had been bending since she was very small. "I know, little sister, but I will everything I can to help you and restore what is yours."

Arawn walked over and she fell into his arms. "I think you need to rest for now." The airbender told her and she nodded. "But I think your mother wants to see you. It is up to you though."

"I am no threat any longer. I will see her." She held on to the red haired man like a lifeline.

Yanna walked over and Harper stepped to the side. "My baby girl. How I have missed you."

Jelisa looked up at the woman that gave birth to them. "I knew you had been looking for me. I was not ready to come back. I was never ready to come back."

She laid a hand on her daughter's cheek and smiled. "I know you weren't. I never gave up hope that I would see you again before I went to the spirits. I am so sorry for everything that was done to you. I never wanted to lose you, but I see you have what you always wanted. You have your love, and you have your life. I think that is better than anything in this world."

**I have been stuck on this story as of late. Since my other story I am doing right now is in first person, I keep trying to do that same here. I am getting towards the end and I complete it, but the muse is nearly gone here. That is why I am taking so long. Sorry! Hopefully I can finish this soon. See ya later.**

_*Sassiersphinx*_


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